Thoughts and stories, by Pal

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2013, I DECIDED TO START A BLOG.  MY IDEA WAS TO HOPEFULLY POST STORIES MY POSTERITY WOULD WANT TO READ THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, AND ALSO PUT DOWN SOME OF MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS.  I ALSO HOPED IT WOULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A MISSIONARY TOOL, AND HOPEFULLY THAT HAS HAPPENED, AS I LOVE TO SEE THE MANY COUNTRIES WHERE SOMEONE HAS READ THIS BLOG.  SOME OF THOSE COUNTRIES ARE: United States, Canada, Sweden, France, Germany, India, Russia, Poland, Turkey, Belarus, Ukraine, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Netherlands, and United Kingdom.  (I hope I haven't missed yours).  I hope you use the "translate" button, and that it works!  The "Popular Posts" I have listed today are the all-time favorites. TODAY I WILL PUT IN MY BLOG THE LIST OF THE ENTRIES FROM # 101 TO # 200.  I HAVEN'T GOT THE LIST UP TO # 285, WHICH THIS IS, AND THAT WILL COME AFTER I GET TO # 300.  I PLAN TO LIST THE TOPICS I HAVE WRITTEN EACH TIME I CO...