...and is that really such a good thing? I'm not talking simple multiple choice--A, B, C, D. I'm talking multiple choice that not only exhausts the entire English alphabet, but also goes into triple digits.

I've been thinking about creating a forum for my rants (aka a "blog") since reading an article in July. I thought "Why not............?" Help contribute to the 30,000 blogs created daily....do my part in making sure the Blogosphere doubled in size every five months. Then, a twenty-something friend sent me a link to her blog so I looked into it a little further.

I have to admit, it was overwhelming. The more I learned, the more I realized there WAS to learn (I guess this is the case with anything new). I felt VERY blog-impaired. Technically challenged. Dozens of sites through which you can set up your blog, and once you narrow down that choice, you've only just begun! A name for your site...the URL for its location (I have no idea what that stands for), oh, yeah, and you have to be ultra creative because there are a gazillion bloggers already out there with all the names you thought were so clever (which makes you feel rather ordinary and unoriginal since someone nabbed it before you). Design, formatting, archiving, control...decision after decision to make. But, I dug my heels in because I had a quiet block of time and decided it was now or never.

You might wonder why I bothered to create a blog if it was such a hassle for me. Legitimate question. But once I started thinking about it, I began blogging mentally (can anyone say "journal"?) and it was just a matter of time. I love the idea of thinking in community (VERY different from "group think"(which I despise))... having friends join you in a conversation you might not be able to have face to face...listening to those who don't necessarily agree with me but have an intelligent difference of opinion. This is a cool vehicle to accomplish all that.

Oh, yeah, back to my "Multiple Choice" rant. Lately, I have been questioning the positive side of choice in our country. We are a country INUNDATED with choices! Maybe this line of thought began with my blog venture. But I thought about it again when buying toothpaste the other day (gel or paste? If I don't choose whitening, will my teeth not get clean? Will my breath be rancid if I don't choose the one with mouthwash?). And toilet paper (ripples or quilting? single- double- or triple-ply? Don't these people know all that matters is that it does its job?) Wanna paint a room a neutral color? Go to Home Depot and count the number of colors for "white" or "off-white" or "beige". In the market for a digital camera? You'll have to decide mega-pixels and zoom and size and function--forget the simple days of color vs. black & white and 35MM vs. instamatic. My mind is reeling with all the examples that are flooding it right now.

Certainly, a compelling argument can be made for why having many choices is a good thing. Only a person who HAS so many choices could have the luxury of decrying that very freedom. I've never walked in the shoes of those who live in a communist or dictatorial country where people are restricted or limited or have no choice at all...about anything. I AM thankful to live in America, where imagination and inspiration lend themselves to innovation and invention (ultimately producing all the kinds of choices I'm talking about).

Maybe it's pure laziness, but I like the simplicity of chocolate, vanilla or strawberry (chocolate alone is sufficient ;) ). Small, medium or large. Hmmmm....I think God knows this...its inherent in His Being. Although He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, He is One. I cannot imagine practicing a polytheistic faith that worships many, in some cases hundreds, of gods. He keeps it simple...so we don't overload and have to decide which "one" to serve today.

Okay...I'm done...gotta go decide what to wear today (long sleeve, short sleeve, or sans sleeve)...grab a cup of coffee (black, 2% milk, or half & half, Splenda or sugar) ...fix my hair (air dry, blow dry or roll it)...

I'm giggling. Nice to end with a giggle. Ciao til later.