A couple of things before the Sunday Morning Feelings Check

First: When did Domino's Pizza become religiously affiliated? The last two times that we've ordered from them, we've received religious propaganda attached to the pizza box, in lieu of coupons for future orders? Shouldn't they advertise that so that when you are choosing who to order from, that information can be a part of your decision making process? I mean, honestly, I think that organized religion already rakes in enough big bucks, without my extra $20 here and there. And we all know how I dislike supporting corporations or entities that I have grievances with. Not that Domino's is good pizza, per say, but considering where I live, there's really not too much to choose from.

Next: Why the hell won't my milk froth anymore? My wonderful little espresso machine that the Wifester gave me for Christmas works brilliantly in every other way, but when it comes to frothing my milk, well, it get's a D- right now. Used to be that I could whip up a frothy mug for my cappuccinos in under a minute. Now, no matter how hard I try, seems that all the little machine can muster is warm milk with a few bubbles on top. I WANT MY FOAM! I NEED my foam. I love the foam, it's the best part of my morning coffee.

Next: Wifester came home from work on Thursday with a big frown on her face. I asked what was wrong and she said "NPR says we're gonna lose our house this year."
me: really? NPR said "(Fortune Cookies) and (Wifester) will lose their home this year." That's what they said?
her: YES! Well...they said that now even the people who didn't get the sub-prime mortgages, and who have been keeping up with their bills and doing things right are starting to be affected because of the job losses and inability to find new jobs, by the end of the year a lot of people like you and I will have lost their homes too."

Great. So on top of everything else Wifester worries about, she is a Class A Worrier, NPR had to go and give her this. It's what I get for hounding her about expanding horizons beyond that of Desperate Housewives and Super Nanny TV shows. She took the radio and when the complete opposite direction; With substance and brain food.

This talk about the housing market and our situation (we have been planning on moving to Ohio) and how it may affect our plans and blah, blah, blah...

Friends will ask us "Why are you moving there?" And you can see it in their faces, they've seen the photos of a Cleveland winter. But here's the thing. As we discuss the suburbs where Wifester's family lives, where we would be moving to, and the suburbs here, where I've grown up and compare and contrast, it's a no brainer.
I can remember multiple instances of our house or items of our shed outside of our house being burglarized. The neighborhood I grew up in, I would almost be afraid to walk down the street alone today. The neighborhood corner market that I used to ride my bicycle to and play video games at is now a hang out for drug dealers.

Where Wifester grew up, is still pretty much exactly the same as it was back then. There's little to no crime. There's no thugs. There's no low riders with rims at the stop signs just hanging out waiting for people to come up to their windows to make transactions. It's just Norman Rockwell-ish middle America. We go to visit and we take the Sunny dog for walks, and there's not 15 dogs running loose, chasing you down the street growling and snarling. There's not garbage all over the sides of the street. People smile and say "Hi" as you pass them because they aren't suspicious of you, nor you of them. We use to keep an eye on who's living in our area. If you are a parent, or planning to be, or you just want to know the status of the sex offenders and other criminals in your area, this is a great site. It searches the registry that they are supposed to keep up to date with current addresses and work addresses, etc, and lets you know, categorically, what type of offenders live in an area, by address. You can even search for someone by name, if you suspect they may have a past conviction and want to check it out.

here's our Ohio area:




Here's where we live now:




Honestly, where would you feel safer?

And now for my Sunday Feelings Check




and now for the real deal