According to the US Department of Labor, in the year 2014 only 27% of those who graduated from college had a job related to their major. Crazy, huh? Indeed, Forbes reports that in 2017, approximately 44% of college graduates from ages 22 to 27 work jobs that don’t even require a college degree at all! Other sources indicate that more than 1 in 5 college graduates still aren’t working a job that requires a degree a whole decade after graduating. Wow…

Does this reflect your current employment situation? I graduated from Emmanuel College with a degree in Music Education in 2007. I also earned certifications in Elementary Education (PreK-Grade 5), Middle Grades Math (Grades 6-8), and Special Education (General Curriculum PreK-Grade 12). I taught in Georgia for 4 years immediately after graduating. Then when I moved to North Carolina helping my parents, I taught for one year. The only available teaching position I found in NC was over an hour away, and that was just too much to deal with for more than one year, along with the other complexities of dealing with state-to-state reciprocity. So what do you do? You find employment wherever you can and do what you have to do. I have been very blessed, though, to be able to use my background in education to help the companies I have worked for since being in NC. I have created procedural documentation, and provided personalized training for my host organizations, which they greatly appreciated. My unique skill sets with being a teacher and having worked in all kinds of factories, kitchens, stores (oh my word… everywhere!), etc. have proved quite useful and beneficial. I have enjoyed learning all sorts of new things and putting my skills to good use, but my heart has never stopped longing for its home in a classroom…

There were over 5000 elementary special education teachers employed in the state of Georgia in May 2018. July 2019 brings one more into the family… Ms. Hale is back! After eight long years, I finally feel a release to leave NC to return home to GA, and the Lord has really blessed me every step of the way! I received an offer to teach in the county of my preference, and an incredible place to live fell right into my lap! Here again God has done above and beyond what I could have asked or even thought (Ephesians 3:20)!

Genesis chapters 37-50 tell the story of Joseph. It’s a good read if you aren’t familiar with the story (or even if you are). The short of it is that Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt, he was falsely accused of a crime while in service, spent time in jail for said crime, eventually got out and saved the land from starvation during a 7-year famine, and was reunited with his family. I’m sure that wasn’t the path ol’ Joe had planned for his life, but everything he went through and experienced equipped him for the plan and purpose God had for him. And it didn’t happen overnight, either. Joseph spent 13 years in Egypt before his purpose was made known to him.

Now, I didn’t go through anything even close to the suckfest Joseph had in the Bible, but I was sent away from the home I had made for myself in Georgia, and it has taken me all 8 of the years I’ve been in North Carolina to realize why. I’ve had 2 great-nephews and a 4th niece be born since I moved back, my sister started a church, being with my parents was important for my disabled mother… and I wouldn’t have been involved the same way for any of this had I not lived in NC. Sure I would have still loved and doted on my babies, supported my sister from afar, and I already visited NC and tried to help out my parents every so often; but it isn’t the same as really being there. I’ve had some learning, growing, and healing to do while here, and I was finally able to have a surgery that I’ve needed for over a decade while here. I have reconnected with some people, and met some amazing new people since being in NC, so that’s also been great! I still missed the sense of community I felt in Georgia, but I even finally found that after so many years in the most unlikely of places. It will be harder to leave NC this time for sure, but God’s timing is perfect, and I trust His plan for me and my life.

The point is that nothing is wasted. So what if you’re a college graduate and working a job that doesn’t match your degree? Or doesn’t require a degree at all? As already mentioned, I have a degree in Music Ed, but I have never taught music professionally (and probably never will). But going through the Music Ed program at Emmanuel is what presented people and opened doors that lead me to my true calling working in a general classroom setting, particularly with students with special needs (but I still have occasion to use my music knowledge every so often when I randomly break into song in class haha). Joseph was in jail when he was presented the man who would tell the Pharaoh to call for him; thus opening the door to set in motion the preservation of all the people during a time of famine. I’ve worked all kinds of jobs in NC like retail, carrying mail, data entry, and working in analytical labs! And like Joseph, all of those seemingly random things/experiences have added to my knowledge-base for me to use in whatever the future may hold, and whatever God has planned for me to accomplish. Who knows… maybe some of those folks I worked around needed me along the way, too. So what if you started college and didn’t finish? So what if you went to a school that isn’t as well-known and prestigious as someone else? So what if you didn’t even finish high school? God has given each of us unique gifts, and the main thing is that you use those gifts wherever you go for His glory. Your level of education and your job do not define you. Enjoy the journey and be thankful for it. The unexpected detours and bumps in the road will come back around for your good (remember Romans 8:28?), and will be useful at some point or another.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Where is your journey leading you right now? Do you trust that God has a plan even if things aren’t going great at the moment? Even if you don’t want what’s going on? I never wanted to live in NC again, but God has done so much for me here over the last 8 years! The number 8 is significant of new beginnings, so I am excited to begin a new chapter of life back home in Georgia in just 2 weeks; and I’ll be taking a lot of new knowledge and new love with me. Nothing is wasted. Praise the Lord!

The Guinness Book of World Records has Agatha Christie as the best-selling novelist of all time.  She is also neck-and-neck with Shakespeare for second place behind The Bible for best-selling—period.  I really like just about anything British, and I fell in love with Agatha Christie in the seventh grade when we read And Then There Were None in English class.  I remember my jaw literally dropped when I read the last paragraph of the last chapter and thinking, “What?!  How can this be?!  This cannot be a thing.”  Then I read on in the epilogue to find the solution that no one could possibly have figured out.  While And Then There Were None is her most sold stand-alone work, her most popular character is Hercule Poirot (that’s pronounced “pwa-ro” to those who may not know); and his most well-known case in general pop culture is Murder on the Orient Express.   

Agatha Christie’s writing style lends very well to film and television, so it’s no surprise to find quite a few of her works adapted for the screen.  However, she was not at all a fan of the productions that had been made of her works, so after a while, she stopped agreeing to release film rights.  You can’t blame her… I mean, I wouldn’t appreciate it if I felt like someone was butchering my work, either.  Oh, but Murder on the Orient Express was just too good to pass up!  One of the producers of the film was a cousin of the Queen (so obviously of high influence), and it was his job to convince Mrs. Christie to allow the film to be made.  He asked her if she had seen the movie called The Tales of Beatrix Potter, which another producer for Murder on the Orient Express had recently made.  Mrs. Christie had seen that movie, and enjoyed because it remained true to its source material.  She agreed to give film rights for Murder on the Orient Express to be made if it were made in the same manner… and thankfully, it was.  

It was an all-star cast for the 1974 film version of Murder on the Orient Express, but a perfect split of stage actors and screen actors.  During the first table read, everyone was rather quiet, and not reading with the full gusto they would normally display.  The director realized that the stage actors were in awe of the screen actors, and the screen actors were in awe of the stage actors, so they were all rather shy in their delivery!  Five of the actors in the film were actively performing in live stage productions on the West End during the filming of the movie, one of whom being the man playing Poirot himself:  Albert Finney. 

Albert Finney was in his 30s at the time of filming, but the character of Hercule Poirot was in his 50s.  The world of makeup is a fascinating one, and this situation presented a rather unique challenge.  It is relatively simple to make someone up to appear much older, as that it is a rather common thing to occur in media; however, aging someone so slightly is not so commonplace.  Bravo to those who worked on him!  Not only was the makeup itself a challenge, but the application process must have been one those folks will remember forever.  As already mentioned, Mr. Finney was performing in a live show on the West End during filming, so he was understandably tired and pressed for time between these two engagements. Plus, being the main character of the movie, he had a lot of screen time, and was therefore required to be on set a LOT. To help accommodate Mr. Finney, the production team hired an ambulance to pick him up and take him to the set. Mr. Finney would try to remain as still as possible and not wake too much while entering the ambulance, then as he got in a little extra sleep on the 35 minute ride to the set, the makeup team was working to apply portions of his prosthetics and do base makeup work. Fine touches were completed on set, of course, but he still slept during a lot of it.  This system worked to help the man get those precious extra bits of sleep without delaying production.

The movie was a remarkable success!  Agatha Christie was so happy with the finished product, that she made a rare public appearance to attend the premiere out of respect for that they had done.  It was her last public appearance, as she passed away about a year and a half after this event.

Whenever I play this film for new people, I promise a prize of $100 to anyone who can tell me “whodunit” before the solution is revealed on screen.  I have never been able to award this prize, nor will I ever.  It simply isn’t possible.  Well, I suppose anything is possible, but it isn’t very likely.  Oh, and I only show the 1974 version… do not EVEN get me started on that monstrosity made in 2017… ugh!  I am one to always enjoy a media for what it is.  I do not walk into a movie expecting it to be just like it’s book or original feature.  I wait until after I have taken in the media in itself, then I allow myself to do the comparisons afterward.  With the 2017 version of Murder on the Orient Express, the basic is this:  it wasn’t just a lousy adaptation of a book, it wasn’t just a poor remake of a film, it was just a straight-up BAD MOVIE all on its own.  Oh man, I can’t get into that or this blog will take 500 years to read.

Anyway… One of the things that is frustrating, yet awesome about Agatha Christie is that while you do technically have all the clues you need to solve the mystery, there is often some element brought in during the reveal that you didn’t/couldn’t know going into it.  You start these books knowing full-well that she may do some sneaky foolishness like that, yet we love her. It can be frustrating as all-get-out, but it doesn’t seem to bother anyone because she is still the best-selling novelist of all time.

God can be like that on occasion, too.  We’ve got something going on and are working through our story to get to the end reveal in the situation.  All along the way, we’ve had clues and guidance, adventure and suspense, but maybe we don’t see how it all comes together until God pulls out this one bit of information we couldn’t have known going into the resolution as He makes the big reveal.  Do you get upset when this happens?  I do! I’m not going to lie.  But why do I get frustrated and upset with God over something that doesn’t really bother me in Agatha Christie novels?

God tells us in Isaiah 55:8-9 that His ways and thoughts are nothing like ours, and are, indeed, higher than ours.  We can’t possibly know everything about how and what He plans, and it’s crazy for us to try to make Him conform to our thoughts and plans.  We just need to conform to His thoughts and plans.  Jeremiah 29:11 says that the Lord knows His plans for us, and that they are for good, and to give us a future and a hope… so why become frustrated, angry, or otherwise upset just because we don’t know every detail of His plans and what is going on in whatever situations we have?  Remember Job? Ol’ Job had all kinds of awful stuff happen!  His kids died, his wealth depleted, his physical body was a misery beyond words, etc. That poor guy NEVER found out the details of what all that was about, but overall he still trusted the Lord because he knew that God’s ways are better and higher.  Things worked out well for Job… God gave him back everything he had before and then some.

Can you remain faithful and trust God in your circumstances? It’s tough, man. Definitely. But Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” Our understanding doesn’t even come close to God’s. We seek God as we walk through our situations, and then He gives us our reveal. It may not be what we want to hear. It may be easy. It may be difficult. It may produce more questions. Sometimes God and Agatha Christie make it easier to spot the solution; then other times, we have to wait until the very end for that last bit we couldn’t have known to be brought to light in order to tie it all together. No matter what, it’s a great story, and we can trust that the authors know exactly what they are doing. We don’t need to know every detail because the One Who does know every detail is looking out for us. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them” (Romans 8:28)… so be encouraged, brothers and sisters in Christ, that even when bad stuff happens (and it will because we live in a sinful and fallen world), God will still make everything work out for your good.

Mary Poppins was the first film that Julie Andrews made. She was fresh off the Broadway stage, and as Dick Van Dyke was also a theatre man, Walt Disney thought it would be a good idea to film the “Jolly Holiday” scene first.  It flows and feels like a show tune, so it would make for an easier transition from stage acting to screen acting for Julie.  Julie’s first spoken line in a film was, “Do you really think so, Bert?”  🙂  Dick Van Dyke is well known for being a funny guy, so it’s no surprise that he kept everyone laughing during the filming of the movie. The boom mike operator and other sound crew often had to apologize because their laughing would interfere with scenes. The Bible says that a cheerful heart is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22a), so the Mary Poppins crew must have been very healthy people.  🙂  There is even a song in that film, “I Love to Laugh,” that is dedicated to topic of laugher.  Laughter generally “lightens a mood,” so having the character of Uncle Albert (and eventually Bert and the Banks children) float into the air as a result of laughter was a great lift from the P.L. Travers books.  For the floating effect and ability for the actors to fly in that scene, each one had a cast/mold crafted of their rear-end.  The wires were put into the mold, the actors sat in the mold of their own body, and their costumes were put on over top.  Julie Andrews has no memory of having the cast done, but the others remember it well.  I’m pretty sure I’d never forget that (though I would definitely try…)  haha

A few weeks ago, I sat in on a meeting that was conducted 99.999999999% in Spanish.  My knowledge of Spanish is pretty much limited to what Senorita Bass taught us when I was in elementary school…25 years ago!  Now, I’ve picked up a word here and there over the years, and I am currently working through a program to learn Spanish (I’ve been on lesson 1 for 4 months–God help me…), but I still pretty much know nothing.  I was entertained with myself, however, when I was able to catch on to enough of the conversation to sort of be able to follow along.  I had absolutely no idea what they were actually saying, but there were times when I knew the general idea of what they were talking about, so that was pretty cool.  I definitely understand more than I can speak, but that’s still slim and nil.  So anyway, at a few points in the conversation, everyone erupted in laughter.  Laughter is contagious; so of course, I was only a millisecond behind them in laughing myself.  Even the tone of voice one lady used was enough to make me crack a smile before we all laughed aloud again (though, again, I have no idea what she actually said that was funny).  If anyone were to have randomly walked in on this meeting, they could easily have assumed that I was an active part of the conversation—I was intentionally watching each speaker, laughed when they laughed, etc.  That reminds me of a story…

When I was at Emmanuel College, I sat in on a preaching class one day because one of my friends was speaking.  During her message, she told a great story.  She and three other friends went to the airport to pick up a student who was coming to preview the college for the weekend.  They had the student’s name and a picture so they knew who to look for in the airport, but this kid had no idea who was going to be there from the college.  The four friends thought it would be hilarious if, when they spotted the kid, they rushed over with excitement and hugs and everything as if they were greeting their oldest and dearest friend, and see how the kid would react.  So this man nearby overheard them discussing this idea, and asked if they would do that to his brother-in-law.  Of course, they were all in for that, so when the man pointed out his brother-in-law, my friends carried out their plan.  They ran over to the guy, calling him by name, hugs, walked with their arms over his shoulders, the whole nine yards.  And the guy played along!  He smiled and laughed right along with them.  To anyone looking on from the outside, it appeared as if my friends and this random man’s brother-in-law were the best of friends. But in reality, they were perfect strangers.

My friend in preaching class used that story to talk about how we may appear to others to be close to God, but He knows, and we know, that it’s just a show.  That can preach; however, I’m exploring another angle…  My point is a bit different.  Just like my appearing to be an active part of the Spanish conversation, and my friends appearing to know this stranger at the airport, people can often appear different from their reality.  People may put on a happy face for the public, while on the inside, they are miserable.  The Bible says for us to encourage each other and build each other up (1 Thes. 5:11). We should be intentional about our relationships with the people God has placed in our lives so that when someone puts on a mask, we are able to see past it and offer our support.  Don’t simply ask “how are you?” just out of ritual or habit, but really mean it.  Take the time to listen to how someone really is doing.  

What about you?  Are you laughing so you wont cry?  Are you wearing a mask that no one has yet to see through?  Do people around you think everything in your life is great, but you’re secretly in great turmoil?  We all have hard times, but remember that “tears may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5b). The Lord can bring you peace in the middle of your chaos. Chaos is an unfortunate part of everyone’s life at some point (because we live in a fallen and sinful world), but the Bible says that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10c). Find someone you trust to help carry your burdens (Galations 6:2), and look for ways to do the same for others.  And don’t forget to laugh.  The character of Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins sings a great line, “the more I laugh, the more I’m filled with glee. And the more the glee, the more I’m a merrier me!”  Find a reason to laugh today.  Take off your mask.  Find someone to laugh with. Let laughter be good medicine for you, and let the joy of the Lord be your strength.  And “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him.  Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Did you know that men are four times more likely to get struck by lightning than women?  Or that famed silent film star, Charlie Chaplin, once took third place in a “Charlie Chaplin Look-a-like” contest?  I’m just full of useless, random trivia.  Those two items are my favorite go-to facts, though I couldn’t tell you why.  Perhaps it’s because I just remember them the best..?

During my freshman year at Emmanuel College in the 2003-2004 school year, I learned in Mrs. Dixon’s public speaking class that you are supposed to begin a speech with some sort of hook to get the attention of the audience, then you need to establish credibility.  Well, this isn’t exactly a speech, but a blog is a public platform, so I guess it is similar enough.  I got the hook out of the way, so now the credibility.  Hmm… what to say on that?  What is this whole blog business about anyway?  I have been told by people over the years that I am pretty good with writing.  I have no idea what makes them say such, but people are entertained by all sorts of things, aren’t they?  Recently, I made a new friend who suggested I write a blog showcasing my random bits of trivia and suggested that I somehow relate it back to God.  Challenge accepted, new friend.

Ah yes.  Credibility.  Well, I’m afraid I don’t have very substantial credentials, but you can judge for yourself.  So far as my useless, random trivia goes… I’m one of those that if I like a movie or TV show or theatre production, I want to know everything there is to know about it. I’m that nerd who will watch every single special feature on a DVD (well, usually a Blu-ray as they have more special features these days), including sitting through all four commentaries.  I love the art of filmmaking, so I appreciate all aspects of the process.  A lot of people hate going to see a movie with me in the theater because I have a rule that we MUST watch the credits.  Not because there might be a little happy at the end, but because all those people worked hard on that film, and they deserve the respect of patrons watching the credits.  Anyway, I also get some random knowledge from reading books and articles, watching interviews, following social media accounts to get a little behind-the-scenes insider info, and I was an extra in a movie once, so I saw a few things up-close and first-hand. haha  And just like most of America.. IMDb.com (don’t pretend like you don’t use it.. you know you do).  Aside from just entertainment, any of my random trivia could come from conversations with people, classroom discussions from who-knows-how-long-ago, books, articles, “Nearly Impossible Question” segments on the radio, etc. etc.  You get the picture.

Now, for the God stuff… I accepted God’s gift of salvation and invitation into His family when I was very young.  I grew up in church, went to a Christian school in 8^th and 9^th grade, and attended a Christian college. I have an uncle, a brother, and a sister who are pastors, and tons of friends in various areas of ministry.  I know a whole lot of Jesus trivia, too.  But so what?  Knowledge and Spiritual disciplines (like Bible reading and church attendance) don’t make a person a good Christian, nor does the lack thereof make a person a bad one.  It’s not about what we do or don’t do… it’s about what HE did.  It took many, many, MANY years for that to take hold in my brain.  It’s only recently come about, as a matter of fact.  I had always been so focused on what I lack and how much I suck, that I couldn’t focus on how awesome it is that He knows I’m not perfect, and loves me anyway.  Part of being a Christian is always learning and growing.  I don’t claim to have all the answers; I don’t even claim to have all the questions.  I just love the Lord, want to show people His love, and am thankful every day that no matter how stupid, screwed up, sinful, and idiotic I am, He loves me just the same.  And His grace is there to cover me and get me back on track.  Romans 5:8 says that God showed His love for us by Jesus dying for us while we were still sinners.  I mean, wow… I suck so much, but even so, Jesus still loves me enough to have taken my punishment on Himself.  What amazing love!  Of course, I try to be on top of the Spiritual disciplines, and try not to intentionally do stupid things (Romans 6:1-2) because I love Him and want a better relationship with Him, but it’s comforting to know that when I fall short (and I will… probably several times a day—unfortunate side effect of being a human), He’s a loving Father ready to pick me up and lead me back on the right path.  So yeah, I am definitely not a golden source for all things Spiritual, but like the random trivia, you can judge for yourself.

Okay so Mrs. Dixon also said to sort of recap as you go along, so I’ve done the hook, and established “credibility” of sorts (ha!), but I have neglected a rather important element:  who am I?  My guess is that if you are reading this, we are either related somehow or are friends, but in that strange, off chance someone new may come across this… allow me to introduce myself.  

My name is Mary Beth.  Yeah, I know.  Stereotypical, obnoxious, Southern double name.  But if you just call me Mary, I’ll likely not realize you’re talking to me and may come across as being rude for ignoring you.  But my last name is Hale, so the whole last-name-comma-first-name bit of “Hale, Mary” can be entertaining at times.  🙂  I’m 33 years old and a teacher by trade.  I have a mom and dad, 2 brothers, 1 sister, 4 nieces, 2 great-nephews, and 35 friend-children where I carry an “honorary aunt” title.  I cannot have children of my own, but I am obviously not without children in my life.  I also have a little papillon dog named Winnifred—so named from the children’s Halloween film “Hocus Pocus” and the Broadway musical “Once Upon a Mattress” which is about the Princess and the Pea fairy tale.  I didn’t really have friends growing up.  I was a loser.  I was afraid of people.  People I went to high school with just thought I was crazy… and who’s to say I wasn’t?  There were people in my life who were nice to me, and looking back, I did have a friend; but I didn’t really fully understand what friends were until I went to Emmanuel College.  I came to life there.

If you know me, you’ve likely heard this story 500 times, but it is a rather important part of me.  I was a Music Education major at Emmanuel.  Choral track.  So my big deal on the music side was my senior recital (the big deal on the education side was student teaching).  I worked in the cafeteria at Emmanuel, so I pretty much knew everyone on campus. Even the folks I didn’t know so well knew me—I was the only goth person on campus.  Haha  Ah, those were the days.  Anyway, so back then, recitals were not scheduled for Fridays.  However, with my father’s work schedule, my recital had to be on a Friday, or he and my mom could not make the drive from NC to GA to attend.  The music department faculty said that no one attends Friday recitals.  They were trying to be kind and save me from disappointment, and I really appreciated that; but I didn’t care if my parents were the only people there, I wanted them there, so it had to be on a Friday.  So the music faculty eventually relented, and my recital was set for a Friday at 5pm.  There were 3 other events going on at the same time as my recital.  Not looking good for me, huh?  Whatever.. my parents and sister were there; that’s all that mattered.  I made a slideshow with pictures thanking my parents and sister (who is 15 years older than I am, and very much like an additional mom) for their constant support, and it played at the beginning of my event.  Quick side-note:  something I have done at every recital I have ever attended (and still do to this day), is take a sheet of printer paper and write, “I *heart* [performer’s name]” on it, and hold it up when he or she walks on stage.  End side-note.  Once the slideshow was over, it was time for me to walk on stage to begin my performance.  It is appropriate concert etiquette to applaud when the performer walks on stage, but when I walked out, there was this thunderous eruption of sound like I have never heard!  And about 20 “I *heart* Mary Beth” signs that went up.  There was even one whole row where like each person had a letter to spell it out!  There were so many people there, that there were literally people standing in the back.  No one’s going to come to a Friday recital, eh?  Haha  Unfortunately, I gave the worst performance in Emmanuel College history, but that’s not what I remember most about that night.  I remember it being the best night of my life so far.  God gave me tangible evidence of two specific promises that night.  He promises in Psalm 37:4 that if we delight in Him, He will give us the desires of our heart.  I heard someone recently give an interesting new insight on that verse.  So yeah He gives us the desire, as in gifting it to us, but He also gives it as in tells us what it is.  I don’t know what I want or need a lot of the time; I just know something is missing.  For me in this case, it was friends.  I delighted in Him, and he gave me (put in me/revealed) the desire in my heart for friends; then He gifted it to me through Emmanuel College.  He also promises that He is able to do exceedingly above and beyond what we can ask or even THINK (Ephesians 3:20).  How could I have ever imagined that this weird, loser, lonely, goth girl would have so many friends that there would be standing room only at her senior recital?  People were there to see only me perform, even with three other events going on at the same time, on a Friday, at 5pm.  There are over 7.5 BILLION people in the world, and God cared enough to do that just for me?  Wow!  I mean… seriously… wow… He is so awesome  🙂 

Well, I think that about covers it for a basic introduction.  Okay Mrs. Dixon… I brought them in with a bit of useless, random trivia, then I gave them a few reasons why they might be okay with what I have to say (yeah right), then I told a bit about myself.  Why anyone would actually be interested in anything I have to say is beyond my ability to comprehend, along with anyone being captivated by my writing “skill” that so many people have commented on over the years… but again, I’m responding to a bit of a challenge extended by a new friend, so we’ll see where this thing goes. If anywhere…