Today He Gave Me is Back!

http://www.todayhegaveme.blogspot.com

Please participate! I look forward to everyone's responses!

God Bless

I Want It That Way

I have been hiding a deep secret for the last week or so. Now it’s about time that I spill the beans. I bought the newest Backstreet Boys album. AND I LOVE IT!

Wait. Not only did I buy the album, but I bought it twice. And made a copy for the CD player at work. So, technically, I have three copies of this album, spread out on 4 places: my Ipod, the burned CD for work, my computer, and the actual CD copy. Why did I buy it twice? To support the boys, of course!

I have been watching videos of the Backstreet Boys on youtube. And I found a new treasure – the video for “I Just Want You To Know”. Every time I watch it, I can’t help but crack up. You’d better watch it, too.



I remember the days of talking with my friend Jill about how we loved these guys, which one was our “favorite” and how we had decorated our bedroom walls with posters and magazine cut-outs to the point where no original wall was to be seen anywhere. Placement was important – you wanted to wake up in the morning to see your favorite staring right back at you (and if you must know, it was Kevin *sigh*).

Jill and another friend and I woke up one Sunday morning at 2am to get a ride to the twin cities in order to be able to stand in line at 6am to get tickets for one of their concerts at a large outdoor event that started at noon. The boys weren’t scheduled to perform until 9pm that night. It just so happened that that day in September would be freakishly hot outside. I ended up passing out from heat exhaustion, getting sunburnt through my clothes and not eating anything for 16 hours straight. In the end, the boys cancelled their performance at the last minute – three of the boys had lost family members that DAY. Jill and I were heartbroken and we got back home around 12am. The little girl inside me cried.

I remember driving with my friend Jill to the closest Wal-Mart from our Minnesota small town (a ½-hour away) immediately after school (we had been talking about it all day) to get the newest BSB album, “Millenium” and the RollingStone magazine with their picture on the cover. I swear to the living God that I listened to that album every single day for a year straight.

The following fall, my aunt got me tickets (front row balcony, yeah!) to their concert at the target center in Minneapolis. Jill and that same friend and I woke up early to make a sign to hang from the balcony that said “BSB RULES!” We drove to Minneapolis, decked out in our BSB t-shirts and met up with my sister who also came to the show. I have pictures of the concert to this day. Needless to say, it was freaking awesome. And I say that with a straight face, people. We went back to school two days later and bragged to classmates about the show.

After graduating high school, my friend Jill and I actually played the trivia board game and I knew the answer to every. Single. Question. I knew their birthdates, names of their brothers and sisters, favorite colors, hometown, how they met…the list goes on and on.

During college my affection waned a bit. I still bought their albums, but it was the kind of purchase that you put at the bottom of the target basket, underneath the underwear, bra and pamprin purchases. And I was heartbroken (again!) when I heard that Kevin, my fave, had quit the band to pursue “other interests”. *sniff, sniff*

But then last February, a friend through church told me of this Christian concert that was coming to town, a bunch of artists who included a member of Third Day, Shane & Shane and wouldn’t you know it, Brian Littrell (a Backstreet Boy!) who had just put out his own Christian album. I went to the show and in the back of my mind (behind my worship for God, of course!) I could not believe that a Backstreet Boy was less than 50 feet away. I bought his Christian album and very much enjoyed it.

Then the boys have to go and tease me with this new purchase. And I’m not just saying this out of bias, but, the album is terrific! It’s their best one since “Millenium”. If my schedule permits, will I go to their concert if they come to MN? You bet! Will I buy their next album? In a heart beat. BSB will probably go into the list of artists for who I will always buy their music, along with Michael W. Smith, Train, Aerosmith, and Chris Tomlin.

So don’t tease me or feel sorry for me. I’m a big girl and can make my own choices. Y’all are just jealous! You wish you had their talent! I HATE YOU!

Ok, calm down there, teenage Ellie. It’s Ok. Life doesn’t have to be this way anymore.

I have nothing more to add.

Except that N*Sync sucks.

New Address

Yes, I changed the address of my blog. Why, must you ask? Well, I didn't want my last name to be so visible. You know how privacy is such a big issue on the internet these days. Why the ridiculous name? Well, that was my nickname in high school, duh! And just so you know, my new-found desire for privacy has nothing to do with the next post I am going to write.

SO THERE! Deal with it.

Did You Play Sports?

One of the first questions I'm asked when someone meets me for the first time isn't about my job, where I live, or where I'm from. 90% of the time, the question revolves around my height.

Yes, I am a tall person. Five feet, eleven inches to be exact. When my height is stated, the next question is pretty much a given.

"Did you play sports in high school?"

I HATE that question so much. When I was walking through Wal-Mart at 16 years old, this old woman walked up to me, cane and all, and in her high-pitched wavery voice she said "Oh my, are you tall! I bet you play basketball, don't you?"

While sitting on a bus in the twin cities, some random guy came up to me and said, "Did you ever play volleyball for the Minnesota Gophers?".

Note to everyone - Not all tall people play sports or have played sports!!! I wouldn't go up to a short person and say, "Oh my! You are practically a midget! When you were a kid, were you able to fit in a bread box? When you were a baby, did your parents use a shoebox for your crib and poke holes in the top so you could get air to breathe?"

I'm so sick of being asked this question. I have to say "No, I didn't play sports". Which always provokes either a look of disgust or disappointment in the person who asked that dumb question in the first place. Sorry to let you down, people. Not everyone fits into a perfect little stereotype. Not all tall people love sports, not all short people use a phonebook to be able to reach the floor, not all italians love pizza, and not all greeks are big and fat.

I want to crawl into a breadbox now.

Homework Break!

I'm using this break from my homework to inform you all of a very strange series of dreams that I had two nights ago. I'm wondering if I'm slowly going insane and would appreciate any kind of interpretation you can provide.

Dream 1. I'm some kind of assistant to a play that Kevin Spacey is acting in. That's all I can really tell you about that dream.

Dream 2. I'm living on a large farm in southwestern minnesota with a good friend of mine. However, the farm in the dream doesn't resemble at all what the actual farm looks like. A group of strangers walk up the gravel driveway and say they are lost and their car has died. My friend and I find the car and recharge the battery. Then I burn the strangers a bunch of mixed cd's of music that I like. I hand them the cd's as they are about to depart. One of them is so happy that he begins to cry. He says "You guys are so nice, thanks a bunch!". The group of strangers leave and I decide to jump in my car and race them. However, they get too far ahead of me and I end up getting lost. I even have a map but cannot find my hometown and end up travelling to tiny towns and lakes I've never heard of.

Dream 3. Back at the farm again. However this time I'm a lion (you read that correctly) and am eating deer. The deer are deep-fried and smell like fried chicken. I've eaten hundreds of these deer and their carcasses are spread out every several feet over the farmland. I stop eating and decide to run and race a rabbit and tortoise. They get too far ahead of me and I decide to stop.

No more pizza before bedtime!

New Job, New Life

I got a new job on thursday.

Not just any job, but a freakin' AWESOME job. The kind of job that you accept and just can't wait to start. The kind of job that is the beginning of a lifetime career choice.
I've had previous jobs that I've accepted where I've known that the job would not exactly be "fun". Now, not every job is "fun". But I want to have fun with my job! I want to enjoy my job. I want to wake up every morning and be excited to start work.

This is the kind of job where that WILL happen. I know it. The kind of job which required me to buy a new wardrobe yesterday and spend hundreds of dollars and I didn't mind one bit.

I don't ever want to be in the situation where I accept a job that is more of a disappointment than anything else. No more phone calls from temp agencies that offer work like "box packing, receptionist, or data entry".

This is so incredibly exciting I can hardly stand it. You are reading the words of the newly hired nursing home activities assistant!

New Ministry

For the past couple of weeks, an idea for a new ministry in my hometown was brought to my mind. I say "brought" because it actually was given to me. God "Brought It". I "Got Served" by God. God is "All that and a bag of chips (or is it slice of manna?)". Ok, I'll stop now. I truly believe that with enough support from others in my hometown that this idea would be a tremendous success. Persons who I believe could be instrumental in assisting me with this ministry idea have been e-mailed. Weeks ago. Still no answer.

Now I believe that this concept being brought to small town has some risks. Residents of Madison hardly like to try a new brand of coffee, let alone participate in something new. And ESPECIALLY not something that's blatantly spiritual. But this is sickening. I have the feeling that I'm going to have to turn into the annoying lady on the phone who calls 5 times a day just to see if anyone "Got my message". Either that or submit my idea in person.

I had a vision last night that I was presenting this ministry idea to my church. Half of the congregants were for it. Unfortunately that was the half who were silent. Those completely opposed to the idea had every thought brought out into the open, every fear imagined, every risk created, every excuse aired for why this MAY not be successful. I pleaded my case and came off as sounding very "holier than thou" (Which in a church is not appropriate. There is only ONE and He is "holier than all".) and condescending. I truly do not want that to happen. I want people to embrace this ministry idea. I want this to start - SOON! I want all churches in my hometown to come together and not label this idea as a "Lutheran", "Catholic" or "Baptist" idea. And I certainly don't want my own demonination to come into play as well.

Last night I read a chapter of the great book by John Ortberg, "If You Want to Walk On Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat" (thanks, Sue). If you can read the first chapter alone and not be inspired in some way, then I don't know what to even say to you. It gave me great confidence and wonderful ideas to consider while I'm in the midst of trying to create something new for a community who (I believe) desperately needs it.

Really, I don't want to turn into Christian Van Daame and come off as forceful in this situation. But what do I have to do to get a response back from someone?

Dude

I don't know why, so please don't ask me. I love this guy -

Again, I don't really know why. He's a liberal. In fact, one of his best friends is Bill Clinton. He smokes unapologetically and tells people to stop 'nagging' him to quit. He is 23 years my senior. I normally don't care for the subject material in his movies.

BUT...In every single one of his films, he is just fascinating to watch! And if you've ever seen him on Saturday Night Live or ppearances on talk shows and other television interviews..he is so frickin' funny and charming. AND...he can sing. VERY well. In fact, I have two songs of him singing Bobby Darin on my Ipod. I could watch his impressions of other famous actors for hours. In fact, here's a direct link to it. YOU'D BETTER WATCH IT.

So please don't ask me why I love him. To be incredibly corny: the heart wants what it wants. That's all there is to it.

Get. To. The. Point.

I have an official complaint against people who talk too much. Just get to the point! I have a relative who will just not. stop. talking. I can sit in the car with her, ask one question, and she will answer that question, morph the conversation into something about her and then go on about everything from cloud shapes to bad drivers to basil growing in her mother's garden.

Is it so awful to just sit in a car, listen to the radio and just take in the scenery? Even if the scenery is just cows and grass, it doesn't make much difference to me. Just please be quiet.

Also, you don't have to repeat something three times in a row for me to understand the words that are coming from your mouth. Hand movements and banging on the table when you stress certain words is incredibly irritating, too. I get it! Can I just experience some drama when I'm only watching a movie?

If I could provide an example of this person's speech pattern:

Me: So how was your day today?

Anonymous person (speaking very quickly, bug-eyed, waving her arms in the air, and banging her hands on the table with every stressed word): OH. MY. GOD. It was so busy! You know how hot it was today? It was 99 degrees outside. 99 degrees! And I'm standing there...(pause)...working in the kitchen, air-conditioners blasting.. and it's ONE-HUNDRED AND THIRTY DEGREES INSIDE. I'm not kidding. ONE-HUNDRED AND THIRTY DEGREES. I'm working in the kitchen and sweat is LITERALLY dripping down from my forehead. My clothes are soaked in sweat because it's ONE-HUNDRED AND THIRTY DEGREES in the kitchen, and the air-conditioner is BLASTING! I tell you, I had heat stroke. I walked into the freezer just for an excuse to cool off. I said, "I'm going to clean out the freezer!" and I walked inside...(long pause)...and steam is LITERALLY coming off of my body because of how much I was sweating. I tell you, I LITERALLY had to have had heat stroke. I was sweating so much! One of the managers walked up to me today and told me he'd never seen so many sauces for food in all his life. How many kinds of sauce do they have? I've got ranch, I've got cajun ranch, I've got honey, I've got honey mustard, I've got Barbeque, I've got Honey Barbeque, THEY HAVE TWO KINDS OF BARBEQUE SAUCE! I've got EVERY. KIND. OF SAUCE. YOU. CAN THINK. OF! I've never seen anything like it! Never! Never seen anything like it! Never! So then...(talks for another 10 minutes straight about something I can't remember anyways)"

After she finished rambling, she said "Well, I've gone on forever, how was your work?"

Me: Fine.

She is the only person who can turn me off of talking in an instant. Now imagine having to converse with and listen to the above pattern of speech regarding every subject imaginable for the last 25 years.

More Pics

My Grandma's Garden

My Interview With...

I need some ideas. A while back, I posted "My Interview With a Celebrity". It was so much fun to write and people seemed to like it. I need more interview ideas! Use current events, specific celebrity names, general people groups, political candidates - anything! As a serious sarcastic-mime-rip off-journalist with no credentials or reason to be taken seriously, my inbox of ideas currently sits empty.

Current thoughts - My Interview With...

A Republican

A Democrat

A College Frat Boy

Another Celebrity (on the topic of?)

Any Halloween/Storybook character

A Drunk

A Morning Person (could never understand them)

Your thoughts? Here's the afformentioned post discussed above:

My Interview with a Hollywood Celebrity

My Financial Oath

Here's the deal -

I have way too much debt and too many future dreams to let this current debt stop me. I HAVE to make a plan so that when I'm 80 and living alone with 10 cats that I'm not living off mac & cheese, ramen noodles or extra cat food. My plan (ambitious as it is) is to do the following:

1. Remove a large % of my checking and move it to the new savings account I created yesterday.

2. Set a maximum and minimum checking account balance. Anything over my predetermined balance will shift into savings.

3. Put at least 10% of my paycheck into savings IMMEDIATELY!

4. Current loan debts take precedence over eating out at fast-food joints. In fact, anytime I have the craving to visit Mr. McDonald, I will NOT! I will calculate what I would have hypothetically spent at that evil place and at the end of the month, put that hypothetical $ into savings. If I can spend money going out when I have more than enough food at home, it means I'm not spending responsibly!

5. Calculate how much extra $ I would need to send in order to remove a year off each of my current loan repayment plans. If feasible, then do it!

6. No more loans of any kind until I am completely debt free!

Last but not least (and this rule will make me cry) -

7. No more cd's, books, or gifts to myself unless I put them on a Birthday or Christmas gift list!

For those of you who know me personally - please hold me to this! I don't now or ever believe that cat food is a tasty alternative to human food of any kind.

I did it - finally.

Today I finally opened a savings account for the purpose alone of going on a trip to Jerusalem. And heck, even if I didn't end up going, that saved money would surely be the start of something great or be a total lifesaver.

I'm not a toys-r-us kid anymore. I'm such a big girl now.

No, I don't. Yes, I'm sure.

No, I do not want to be a nurse.

Yes, I do realize that my degree program at school allows me the opportunity to obtain a CNA license, and receiving that is the first step in becoming a registered nurse.

Yes, I do realize that any registered nurse would make more money than me initially after graduation and with that prospective money I could buy a nicer car than say, if I had less money. I believe that is how basic economy works.

Yes, I am sure I do not want to be a nurse. Stop asking me!

How am I sure? I hate blood, that's why. Snot, pee, crap, puke, phlegm and any other bodily fluid/matter I can deal with but blood, I cannot. Not long ago when in training for my new job, I was shown and then asked to prick my trainer's finger. I believe that the terminology used to bring blood to the fingertip (thus making it easier to draw blood once the finger is pricked) was called "Milk the blood". I felt woozy and wanted to cry but did it anyway. It was awful. My trainer was barely pricked and asked if I had actually done it. I ignored her and squeezed her fingertip to draw blood out and then tested it like I was shown. It is my biggest and most sincere desire to never have to do that again.

With that being said, let's assume hypothetically that I will actually do what you ask and become a nurse. When you are sick and ask me for help, I hope that you aren't bleeding. If so, one or more of the following scenarios will occur -

1. I will say - "EWWW! AAAAAH! I'm getting someone else, I don't feel so good."

2. I will say nothing and drop like a fly.

3. I will puke. Then cry. Then puke again. Then I will clean it up myself because that sort of thing doesn't bother me.

If you need your nose wiped, I will do it. Diaper change? Count me in. If you need me to get napkins for you to spit your phlegm in, I'll run for that immediately. Heck, I'll even empty your commode with no complaint.

But please do not ask me to prick your finger. And do not tell me I should become a nurse instead of a health/social work employee, because I AM SURE that is not what I want to do with my life.

Thank you.

Is this real?

I do not know if the picture below is real or not (photoshop does wonders these days)..but either way I think it is a WONDERFUL image. I got the following picture and text in an e-mail.




God Parting the Heavens!


I took this picture on Hwy 30, traveling to London City, KY. It has given me strength in the times of trouble. I feel I should share it with the rest of the world. I hope it is an inspiration to you. It just goes to show what we already know ... We have a God and he's watching over us.

I e-mailed this picture to News Chanel 36. I was contacted by Meteorologist John James. He said that this picture of the sky is showing up, in all states, around the world. He wanted to know where I was from and where I took it. He saw a similar picture taken in Texas. He said this is amazing to him!

The Skittles Rabbit

Ok, I just saw this commercial and could not stop laughing. Please watch (it's about 45 seconds long) and comment!

The Skittles Rabbit

(C)Rap Music

I'm listening to Laura Ingraham who's interviewing Russell Simmons, one of the fathers of hip-hop who also created Def-Jam records. He's calling Akon, a rapper who uses the F, H, C, P, S-word (among others) an artist and a poet who needs to express himself. This same 'artist' sexually molested a 14-year old on stage at a concert, bruising her. After this, Akon was dropped by Verizon wireless as a tour sponsor.

Russell calls rap lyrics a reflection, but not a shaper of our culture. Give me a break! And even if that were entirely true (Is it truly a reflection of our U.S. culture?), how are these words appropriate for children, women, well, practically ANYONE?! I cannot fathom the cultural differences between white middle america and poor black america, but I can assuredly believe that these differences can be explained in song without profanity and degrating language to women! I, and Laura Ingraham is included in this, firmly believe that we have the power to change culture. Rap music has absolutely done this! You don't see teenagers (white boys included) who wear baggy pants, backwards baseball caps, and "bling" who walk around quoting Johnny Cash, do you?

Russell - "I'm not offended by words". Oh really, then you must have approved Imus' nappy-headed h* statement (he didn't)? Not that I approve at all of what Imus said, but you can't pinpoint a difference between Imus and Akon statements if you aren't offended by words in general.

Mr. Simmons believes that parents should be the educating force for my children. This is a very valid statement. So when I decide to have children, I will absolutely be educating them that rap is offensive, degrating, and musically unneccessary.

Things I Can't Believe

...That Hillary Clinton will become the next President

...that people actually wonder if Barack Obama is Irish

...The Big Bang Theory

...That Friends of mine who have been in college for a year already will graduate before I do.

...The Eternality of the World

...Athiests

...That Madonna is talented

...Rosie O'Donnell doesn't believe in terrorism (she doesn't!)

...Barbara Walters is a good journalist

...Our lives have no purpose

...I got a 4.0 this semester

...anyone would read this post and be interested :-P

Dancing with the Ellie

I would totally kick butt on "Dancing with the Stars". No, really.

Imagine this to the Song choice of Bon Jovi's "Livin on a Prayer" -

First I'd pull out the running man, followed by the tootsie roll. Then alternate with the sprinkler and then have a pretend fist fight with my partner. We'd be dressed like 19th century poor English children (my partner being Abe Vigoda, of course!), who would be continually looking like this -



I mean, who wouldn't want to see that?

Come On..

I'm going to write a book, but I need at least 366 ideas! (One for each day of the year, plus leap year). You can find more info at -

Devotional Scratch Pad

This cool picture/video thingy...

Since blogger has added some new features since the last time I posted, I'm going to take full advantage of that. I'll add a new picture or video to the side from now on and try to change it every week or so. It will be good fodder for conversation. First one - leprechaun in alabama...click the first video.

To All You Telemarketers Out There...

Two days ago, I signed up for the "Do Not Call" list. That means you only have 29 days left to irritate me to the point of going insane. I don't know how you do it....you call every other hour, and only for me. It's like you know that my grandma, the owner of the house you call, has gone on a month-long trip. You NEVER call for her anymore! What's going on?!

And here's a tip....if you mispronounce my name then I'm going to assume you mean someone else and will always tell you that the person you unknowningly ask for (me) is not at home. My last name is not pronounced "Le Whore", as you believe. Yes, it's unfair that it is not a common last name, (which means that the pronunciation is anyone's guess) but it's such a good method to for me to weed out people who DON'T KNOW ME!

You have 29 days and counting. Have fun while you can and if you call after those days are up, expect hell.

Some Lovely Pictures/Artwork

Just wanted to share some lovely artwork and pictures, you can find the at the following links -

http://www.jabberwocky.com/photo/israel/jerusalem.html
http://www.terragalleria.com/middle-east/israel/jerusalem/jerusalem.html
http://www.infohub.com/pictures/images_jerusalem_535.html


Jerusalem at Night


Hebrew Crafts in Jerusalem

The following artwork can be found by doing a google search for "Christian art"

Archangel Michael

Not Happy

I got ripped off............BIG TIME.

It's been suggested by a relative that I write a letter of complaint to the company (that shall remain nameless) who sold me the laptop which only had a trial version of Windows Vista (while telling me it was a full-version. Not true) and to the company who mistakenly told me I had to buy a "new users" version of Vista for my laptop, which I did. The only thing, I am not a 'new user' of Vista! And the price difference (that I just discovered today) between a 'new user's' version and the 'upgrade version' I should have bought is over $170! Is this how companies can ethically treat a new customer nowadays? They had all the necessary information to tell me that I didn't need to spend an extra $170, yet they did so anyway. They could tell that this was the first time I had bought my own computer and therefore wasn't familiar with new set-up practices, yet felt it was ok to completely rip me off! And as far as the store that sold me the laptop? They knew this information too! ATO:IUETSL:EKTJO:I@$()*&)(!()!

So I'm in the process of writing two very long and very detailed letters of complaint. Never ever thought that buying a new laptop would cause so many problems.

What to write, what to write....

I want to write. I want to write something of significance, so I'm thinking about putting together a devotional of some sort. It would be based on my own life experiences, what I know about the Bible and what I'm continuing to learn as the days progress. It would absolutely be a long-running project, I wouldn't expect completion of it before three year's time. But if it weren't even published, it would be a great learning tool and an accomplishment I could be proud of. I don't want this to be a small devotional, it would at least be 3-4 pages for every day of the year. My demographic, persay, would not be for people who buy small devotionals to put on their toilets for their guests' quality reading time. This also wouldn't be some kind of systematic theology course. I would want it to fall somewhere in the educational/inspirational/relational/social genre, with a little humor thrown in the mix as well. My aim could lean towards assisting people who have had tough times lately, or continually. Or someone could turn to it to read a story they like. I DON'T KNOW!

The question is, of course, would anyone want or care to read it?

Ideas and assistance, please! I'm going to start a new blog (a scratch pad of sorts) where I (and you) can post topic ideas:

http://www.devotionalscratchpad.blogspot.com

I Want a New Oprah!

Ok, it's almost 11pm and I'm at home sitting in my scrubs from work, (either prune juice or brown gravy has stained my pants) playing my Superman Returns DVD in the background (gotta love Kevin Spacey!) and all I can think about at the moment is how much Oprah sucks.

I realize that the timing for this post isn't the greatest. She just opened a school in Africa for underpriviledged girls, most of who are affected by the AIDS virus. That is fantastic, really! The facts that "suck" about Oprah are those which have happened in the U.S., especially what the American public has viewed on her TV show. My top 5 reasons for Oprah "sucking" are as follows -

1. She believes in everything, and therefore believes in nothing.
What a great example to set for the 8 million viewers who watch her show daily. Laud the benefits of Christianity (the music, especially. She has a favorite gospel choir, you know.), but don't forget the Dalai Lama's teachings, how to practice meditation, and get a few sentimental Muslim guests in the mix, too. How do you improve your "spirit" when you can't pick a way to do it?

2. She believes in a communal "spirit" shared by everyone.
Oprah and her friend Gail took a promotional tour of the U.S. and during the last episode which featured this trip, and after she had visited professional celebrity impersonators, an Ahmish community, had crashed weddings, etc (I didn't watch every episode), she had the following concluding statement - "We all have the same heart". Bullcrap. Oprah, you just crossed an entire nation of 300 million people, populated by immigrants from all over the world, with differeing religious backgrounds, financial status, age, skin color (the list goes on and on)....yet we're all the same? How about this statment - "We're all ruled by the same God, who gave us each our own individual soul"? No wait, that's too conservative...it would never go over on Oprah's watch.

3. She has a magazine devoted to her and what she loves.
Why should her personal interests/hobbies/favorite purchases matter to anyone? Talk about a severe case of narcissism. If I had created a magazine devoted to my loves (Monty Python/my new clarinet purchase/books on theology) it would tank in two days, tops. Yet this magazine, half of it being advertisements and the other half being a list of her favorite things (which you too can buy!) skyrockets every month! My knowledge of Oprah's favorite slippers at the moment does not improve my life in any way whatsoever.

4. She regularly lists the risks of being married and how it isn't for her.
With how long she's been in a relationship with this Stedman guy, marriage apparently doesn't apply to her. That would be one hell of a prenup, I guess. One reason marriage won't work? - The cheating factor. Believe me, Oprah, you have a much higher risk of being cheated on when there's no reason for commitment than when you have the legal protection against it that comes with being married. She's won't buy the cow when she can get the milk for free (which you can, too!). WOOHOO!

5. Her lack of charity except when it benefits her self-promotion or TV show ratings.
Yeah, that's a pretty bold statement. See above regarding the timing of this post and reason. Oprah recently made a statement regarding giving more of her $ away, saying (not completely verbatim here), "My being destitute will not help anything". Oprah, no one is asking you to become destitute! And by the way, what is being destitute in your opinion? Because to a lot of the American public, living in a 1-bedroom apartment and eating mac and cheese every once in a while would not consitute being labeled as "destitute". For someone who is worth over a billion dollars, would an extra $1 million to charity sting so much? Sure, you can give gift cards (for the purpose alone to give to charity) to your audience, promote it in advance, have every news website and tv news organization talk about it before your show's air date, and then bask in the ratings glory. Oprah, I beg you - give to a cause and then refuse to air it, talk about it, or print it in your magazine pages. PLEASE! Humility is a virtue and if it convinces you any further, humility is a strengthening of your 'spirit'!

Comments? Anything you'd like to add? Or do you completely disagree? I'm going back to watch the DVD. Go Superman!