For the purpose of today's column, let's assume that there are two types of people in the world: crafters and the rest of us.
Now everyone knows someone who has been blessed with an uncanny ability to create art from what many of us would consider "stuff."
Give a crafter some ribbon, a piece of wood, three silk flowers and a hot glue gun and before you know it, a door, the refrigerator and the mailbox have been decorated with the appropriate seasonal trappings.
Give me the same items and eventually I will have a sticky piece of wood dangling from my hair, and for years my neighbor will wonder who glued those flowers to her cat.
Now we can sit around ourhouses bemoaning our bare walls, doors and shelves or we can buy crafts from other people and claim we made them ourselves.
I personally feel comfortable with either choice, but if you choose the latter,make sure you leave scraps of fabric, wood chips and paint brushes in strategic locations throughout the house for your guests to notice.
A wonderful place to start your crafting career is Glen Burnie Senior High's Spring Craft Fair, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the media center of the school, 7550 Baltimore-Annapolis Blvd.
The show is sponsored by the school's Band Booster Club, with the proceeds to be used for the band's general fund.
About 120 artists are registered for this year's show to display woodworking, needle work, calligraphy and many other crafts.
"We also have several crafters with unusual crafts such as puzzle barrettes, sea shell painting and Easter candy," said coordinator Naomi Marat.
There is no admission charge.
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Don't be too alarmed if you notice small green people hanging around Glen Burnie this Friday evening. The kids will have the opportunity to celebrate St. Patrick's Day a little early at two dances.
The Country Club Estates Recreation Association is playing hostto a St. Patrick's dance for youth 15 and younger from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at its recreation center on Paul Marr Drive. Music will be provided by DJ Tim Konig.
Admission is $2 per person. Anyone wearing green can get in for $1. Tickets are available at the door.
The dances at Country Club are very popular, so dancers are encouraged to queue up early.
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The weekly dances run by the A.A. Gridiron Rebels at Corkran Middle School will also be promoting the "wearing of the green" at their dances this Friday. Anyone wearing green will be admitted for $1. Admission is normally $2.
The organization plays host to two dances every Friday in Corkran's cafeteria. Youth ages 7-12are invited to the 6-to-8 p.m. dance, and youth 12 to 17 are welcometo the 8:30-to-10:30 p.m. dance. Chaperones are always welcome as guests of the Rebels.
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A display of some of the best work of Maryland's amateur photographers will be open to the public starting at 9 a.m. Sunday at the Glen Burnie Improvement Association Building, Crain Highway and 1st Avenue, N.E.
The print photographs and slides are part of the All-Maryland Camera Club contest in which members of the Council of Maryland Camera Clubs compete for the All-Maryland Trophy.
Judging starts at 9 a.m. for print photographs and 1:30 p.m. for slides.
The display is open to the public. For additional information call 551-4979 or 923-0229.
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If your idea of a fish dinner does not mean Mrs. Paul's at 425 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes, you may want to consider joining the Hook 'n Line Sportsman Club. The club is for "people who like to fish and who like to talk about fishing," according to Jack Barton, the club's founder.
The first meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at Jr. Jack's, 400 Sumitt Ave.
"We plan to get together Thursday and set up the rules for the club,"explained Barton.
For more information call 766-6646.
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Patrick Dougal, a representative of CSX Corp., will discuss the 2,000-home Tanyard Cove development with members of the Point Pleasant/Shoreland Improvement Association at their March meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the meeting hall of the Church of the Good Shepherd, 1451 Furnace Ave.
In addition, two representatives from the county, Pam Jordan of community services and Mary Ann Love of consumer services, will discuss upcoming projects.
The PPSIA meetings are open to anyoneliving in the community. Memberships in the association is $5 per family. For membership information call Maureen Agro, 766-7768, or JoanValenti, 766-4310.
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Quick, what is the best way to deal with a grease fire? How do you operate a fire extinguisher? What should you do if your clothing catches fire?
Tammi Price, Miss Glen Burnie Fire Prevention 1990, is looking for girls and young women who are interested in learning the answers and who might represent Glen Burnie Fire Station 33 in
the annual Miss Fire Prevention contest.
"Last year someone asked me if I wanted to represent the station in the county contest. I said, 'Yes.' They gave me a sash and that was it," said Price. "This year we're planning to have a local pageant to determine the winner."
Dawn Franklin, a volunteer at Company 33, and Tracy Austin, Miss Anne Arundel County Fire Prevention 1990, are helping with the contest.
They are looking for girls living in the GlenBurnie area, ages 9 to 12 for the junior level and 16 to 21 for the senior level of the contest.
The contestants will be judged on their poise and responses to specific questions. The information will beprovided to the contestants in advance.
The pageant is scheduled for 3 p.m. June 1 at the Glen Burnie Improvement Hall, Crain Highway and 1st Avenue, N.W. The winner of the Glen Burnie contest will represent Station 33 in the county competition in August.
In addition to the county contest, the winner will be invited to participate in several parades and to visit with local schoolchildren to discuss fire safety.
For additional information call Tammi Price, 760-7925 or Dawn Franklin, 760-3680.
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Yes, football is a great sport -- possibly the greatest sport with all that huddling, passing, tackling and occasional punting. And football fans seem to enjoy their sport more than other fans (except hockey, but then hockey fans are an odd bunch). We tend to live for September and the opening day kickoff.
Soit should not surprise anyone that the Football Booster Club of GlenBurnie High School is active long after the shoulder pads have been stacked away.
The boosters are planning their first Adult Dance from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday at the Earleigh Heights Fire Hall, RitchieHighway at Earleigh Heights Road.
Tickets are $10 per person and include beer, setup and snacks. Door prizes will be awarded throughout the evening.
Proceeds from the dance will benefit the team's equipment fund to purchase new shoulder pads with additional protective collars.
For ticket information call Betty Stapler, 766-8516 or Karen Lanham, 768-3849.
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The bookshelves in the library at Marley Middle School are a little fuller, thanks to the efforts of severalstudents and the "Scaring Up Some Books" program they participated in last Halloween.
Students raised enough money to supply the library with 100 books. For two weeks last fall, students gathered at the library after school to read. Sponsors had pledged money for each minute of reading, and once the money was collected the students were able to help stock the library's shelves.
At the recent presentationceremony, a bookplate was affixed to each book, which reads "This Book Was Scared Up By ," and the name of the student purchaser was inscribed.