Yeah, it's actually a technique used by spammers, unfortunately, and therefore one of the ways they identify a robo-account.

There's nothing wrong with changing your mind. The point is to pursue something wholeheartedly because casual wishing won't achieve it. And if you change your mind, divert that drive and focus to your new goal until you find one that sticks and you *don't* change your mind about.

And I appreciate yours! :D LOL It's okay. Therapy is helping and I've learned how to adapt, so I'm doing really well with it right now. Mostly I'm trying not to take it personally since, as odd as it sounds, it's not actually about me. He's the one with the fixation and it could just as easily have been anyone else his target landed on. I'm still here and that is a victory I'll take.
Education is not happening as much as it needs to, no. I can totally agree with that. But *as* an educator, I can't give up. I am not capable of admitting that kind of defeat. I know that it probably won't happen in my lifetime, but I can still do everything in my power and set things in motion so that future generations won't have to give anything up to have a safe place for their kids to grow up.
Well then it sounds like we were both born in the right places for our own tastes. :)

I'm gonna need your age before I can do that.

Like all communication, it depends on both parties' ability to understand and reciprocate. I use a lot of emoticons with close friends that I wouldn't use with acquaintances or even distant friends because I know they wouldn't get it.

What if I told you I don't actually have brown shoes, but I have to listen to my coworkers bitch about it and that's how I know it's a thing? (Honestly, I don't get it either, but then I carry a backpack and sew pockets into all my clothes for this very reason.)

I am not an NRA freak. The guns and bows I keep are mostly because I enjoy sport shooting, archery practice, and a little hunting on occasion.
But I have an active stalker. I have already had to change my name and move several times.
Not that I don't love my local law enforcement--because I *do*, they are incredibly supportive men and women and really all around awesome--but their hands are tied *by law* in ways that mean I cannot rely on them wholly for this issue because they cannot do anything until a crime is already in progress or has been committed. And even then, I could be killed before they have a chance to respond to my 911 call *unless I have a way to defend myself until they arrive*.
Should just anyone be allowed to have a gun? Hell, no. My stalker for one. That crazy mofo shouldn't be allowed to own a goddamned butter knife and his forks ought to be filed down to a pile of shavings and then thrown in the fucking trash.
But he, thank God, isn't the norm, he's the exception.

In addition, here are some fun facts for consideration:
The US murder rate has dropped dramatically since 1980 and in 2008 alone, only 8% of violent crimes involved the criminal with a gun.
There were almost a million incidents of citizen defense with a gun in 2000, and in 1994 half that many people used a gun to successfully frighten away a home intruder.
When questioned, a third of criminals in 11 prisons across the country said they had been injured, scared off or caught by an armed victim, 70% of them knew other criminals who had, and 40% of them had decided not to commit a crime just because their victim was armed with a gun. Which is significant because 42% of Americans can expect to be the victim of a violent crime in their lifetime. Speaking personally, I'd rather have the gun and make that criminal reconsider than paint myself an easy target.
Oh and of the almost 1700 people murdered in NYC between 2003 and 2005? 90% were killed by people who *already had* criminal records.

No, it's still ironic. Disagreeing with it (which is fine, we all get opinions) doesn't change the fact that there is an incongruency between your statement and mine.
And it *is* possible. Go check out Swizterland. I'll admit that starting off by handing everyone a gun on their eighteenth birthday is a *terrible* idea, but the fact remains that removing guns from the equation isn't the only viable solution. Just like with abortion—or, hell, any of these issues—proper education would allow everyone to maintain their rights and not force some to give up their freedom to choose because of the few who fuck it up.
There will *always* be people who fuck it up, but that is life and human nature. Why should the rest if us have to be punished for mistakes we didn't make even when we had the chance to?

What if I told you not brown shoes?

CHANGE THE LAW, OH MY GOD WHY HAS NO ONE THOUGHT OF TH— Oh wait they did. And they are trying. But until they do, there are mothers out there who are forced to spend an hour or more each week watching the man who *raped them* spend time with their child and pray that this monster doesn't do it again.

I've had shitty managers side with the customer and yell at me even though they knew it was wrong just because—say it with me!—"The customer is always right!" They were literally *that* worried about one asshole customer not coming back. I say good riddance because bad customers are like toddlers: you give into their fit once and you will never be able to stop.

Ironically, if you don't want to get shot you should want everyone *to* buy guns. Populations with higher gun ownership/carrying have less gun violence because no one wants to pull a gun on a stranger who is/might be also armed or in the presence of bystanders who are/might be armed. When no one has guns, though, the criminals will have guns.

If done right, it's an introduction to music with instruments. Like a step up from the rhythm sticks and tambourines and a lead into playing a more complex instrument in the band or orchestra. Sadly, it's not usually done right so you get a bunch of kids who think it's stupid and end up hating it.

Oh wait I see it now. LOL I shook too hard.

My favorite (short) song to play was the Oscar Meyer Weiner song!