More Amazing Things

Hello Everyone,

Several months ago, I gave some highlights from my Amazing Journal, where I record the most amazing thing that happens each day. Since my workload the last few weeks has been quite heavy, and it’s only going to get more intense before the quarter ends, I thought this would be a good time to mention some of the amazing things that have happened since then. For one thing, it’s simpler than writing a whole new letter, and for another, it’s at times when I’m most stressed that I need to remember that I’m surrounded by truly wonderful and at times, ridiculous, things.

October 25, 2010: Today at dinner, Cindy got indignant about something and flung her chopstick at a neighboring patron.

November 4, 2010: Today I read that scientists have made early progress in inventing an invisibility cloak.

November 6, 2010: Today I learned that the average person in the States eats 126 lbs of sugar each year. That’s more than my body weight! And with all my Werthers, I could well see me being above the average . . .

November 7, 2010: Today I learned about these giant busses that will be made in China. They will straddle two lanes of traffic and cars will be able to pass through them as thought they were moving tunnels.

November 8, 2010: Today I found out that while Colin S. was in college, someone broke into his car, stole his Michigan basketball shorts and left a recipe for soup.

November 9, 2010: Today Colin J. told about how he was driving behind this old lady and he noticed her license plate said “Anus tart.” He got really grossed out and worked up. It took him a while to realize she meant “A nu start.” Oh boy.

November 14, 2010: Today I saw bikers who had flashing spinners on their wheels. Who says being safe isn’t fun?

November 18, 2010: Today Bri told us that her dad had been capturing chipmunks on their property and releasing them elsewhere. Her mom was convinced that they were returning, so her dad spray painted the captured ones pink so that they’d be able to tell if they ever came back. They didn’t.

November 19, 2010: Today Daddy sent me photos of an elephant getting attacked on its trunk by a crocodile. It dragged the crocodile out of the water and eventually got away with her baby who was also there. But it was just like the Just So Stories!

December 7, 2010: Today I learned that Julia Child used to be a shark frightener in WWII. She and others were employed by the Allies to keep sharks away from underwater bombs (which they kept exploding when they’d get too close). Dead sharks have a scent that repels other sharks, so she and the others used that.

December 14, 2010: Today at the post office, I overheard a short, rotund, elderly, ex-military German man say, “It’s not like anyone put a gun to your head and said, ‘You have to be a makeup artist.’” Never a truer word.

December 17, 2010: Today at the Costco fast food section, I saw a guy wearing a specially designed hair net on his chin strap. He was also wearing a normal hair net. Hot.

January 10, 2011: Today Becky had her hands full and asked if I could open her bedroom door for her. As my hand got about a foot from the doorknob, the door opened on its own!

January 14, 2011: Today a helicopter landed in the parking lot across from the police station.

January 17, 2011: Today I found a website called Spokeo that gives you name, contact information and other personal information for people all over the country. It knew my age, my address in Spokane, how much the house is worth, who my family members are . . . creepy. It also thinks I’m married.

January 22, 2011: Today Erin told me that in a history test in high school, she was asked “What enemy of the French did Napoleon never defeat?” She misunderstood, thinking it was asking, “What French enemy . . .” So instead of Russia, she put “syphilis.”

January 29, 2011: Today a lady on a bike used one of those super corny cartoonish hooter things to signal she was going by. I didn’t know those still existed.

February 5, 2011: Today I read that Malawi is banning farting in public.

February 15, 2011: Today the bottle of ink I ordered arrived. It’s 32 oz, the same as my water bottle. Let’s hope I don’t get confused.

February 18, 2011: Today it got very smokey all afternoon and it was raining ash. Erin and I think it was from a fire that burned 10 acres yesterday when a trailer near a meth lab exploded several towns away.

February 19, 2011: Today the first National Tree Climbing Competition was held in Forsyth. There were about 70 contestants and the participated in five events. They said things like, “Think like a squirrel,” and “Your mother’s a beanbag.” They all wore bright colors and helmets. I think I’ve found my calling.

February 25, 2011: Today I saw a sort of a wagon vehicle downtown that had a long elevated kitchen table and chairs around it. People sat at the chairs and pedaled and that moved everyone along. They even had drinks at the table. Classy.

Have an amazing week,
Sarah/Mouse