I'm taking the Pinterest Photo a Day Challenge.  Today's Photo is "MY VIEW".. I thought maybe I'd take a view from our front porch… then I thought maybe I'd just take a view of what I can see where I am sitting.  The view from my front porch is better than this..

Here's what's in front of me.  My laptop, sunglasses, scissors, birthday card, iced tea (not much ice in it), Star Wars light up candy light sabers, #4's MP# player, USB Cord, back scratcher, and my Chumby (that needs a new plug)

To the right of me is this kid #5.  He woke up last night not feeling so good.

To the left of me is this kid.. #2.. He's working.  Please ignore the mess behind him AND that we have not taken all of our Christmas junk down.  Most of it is down.. we just have a few stragglers here and there. 

What the French is SOPA?

SOPA, which stands for the Stop Online Piracy Act, is a piece of legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. The act is designed to target copyright infringers online through a series of harsh penalties.

In the U.S. Senate, a separate companion bill is called the Protect Intellectual Property Act or PIPA.

Who's dog's are in the fight?
The fight over SOPA is a major clash between Hollywood and Silicon Valley. The backers of the legislation include the Motion Picture Association of America (the MPAA), the major movie studios and television networks, most major book publishers and several ISPs. They say that without the legislation at least 2.2 million industry jobs would be at risk.

A large number of Internet content companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo! and several others have publicly come out against the legislation. Certain companies, such as Google, have spent a great deal on lobbying against they bill. They say the legislation would turn the Internet into a police state.

What can you do to help?

Go HERE and fill out this simple email to your congress person.

A super sweet note I received that made my day.

Today is Piercing the Darkness: Leave a Note Day (You can check it out on Facebook)

On January 17th, take 30 seconds to write an encouraging note on a piece of paper. Leave it anonymously somewhere that someone who needs it can find it – and let destiny do the rest!

On top of a stack of cans in the grocery store? Post-it note on the bathroom mirror at work? Written on the back of your bill at a restaurant? Scribbled on a napkin and left on a bench? Scrawled on a piece of notebook paper and slipped into the locker of someone you don't know? Yes, yes, yes! All of these are perfect. The idea is to make someone smile, give them hope, encouragement…and pierce the darkness that has overcome our world.

The purpose of Piercing the Darkness is to help be a source of light in the world in these times of darkness. We do easy, simple things that help others feel a little better, and in turn, we feel a little better, too. It's a baby step towards bringing light back into this perpetually darkening world.

Write some notes.. and leave them for some people!

This is my black Cole Haan shopper tote. I bought this on eBay for $42.85  It was my 15,000 feedback purse.  Before I cleaned it out, it weighed 9lbs 6 ounces.  Here's what was in it.

Here's a view from the inside top.  See that pink planner behind it?  It was in there too.

Contents dumped on the table.

• planner
• wallet
• mismatched Old Navy gloves
• checkbook that was out of place
• trash
• gum, mints
• reading glasses
• sunglasses
• lip gloss
• change
• Splenda packages
• a couple of pens
• lots of receipts

Here's all the trash I took out of it.  (yes that's a laundry basket with trash in it)

Some of the more stranger things in my purse…

• A guest check that was really a receipt from an estate sale I went to.
• Some Kohl's Cash that I never used. (Fail)
• My birthday card from my mother and father in law.. (my birthday is in July)
• Grocery list (one of three or four)
• An autograph sticker by the band "The Museum"
• an old water bill.
• 2 McDonald's Monopoly stickers
• Ottawa University game schedule

My Sweet #6's footprints from the day he was born.  The hospital did this and it hung on the wall in the NICU until he left to go home with us.  It was the last thing I took down in his room at the hospital.

One of 5 fortune cookie fortunes I found.  This one was from Panda Express. I try and try to be the FourSquare Mayor of that place… and I just can't get the job done. :/

I'm a list maker.. (but you knew that)  Here are a few of the lists I found in the bottom of my purse.

Gift cards and reward cards. 

Girl Scout Cookie receipts, and 3 Redbox's that need to be returned.  OOOh and my favorite hot pink FLAIR pen.

Door handle from the school room cabinet.  I've had this in my purse since August…

This was the best thing I found in my purse.  Given to me by a person in my youth group.

"I would like to thank you for always being there for me and helping me through the hardships that  (name) gave me.  Also I want to thank you for always bringing me in when I had no where else to go and picking me up when I was down and giving me love when I need (it) most and giving me respect when I didn't deserve it.  Most of all being my close friends and treating me like I was a part of your family.  So I just want to say God Bless You."

You never know what's going to be in my purse.. but that note was the best.