It seems that I spent a disproportionate amount of my time driving around Glen Burnie this week.
Due to poor planning I spent most of my traveling time sitting in traffic, which allowed me a few observations and a question or two.
* Does it bother you when your car is the first in line at a traffic signal and total strangers approach you asking for donations to assorted charitable causes, many of which you have never heard of?
Everyone lined up behind you, watching to see if you are the generoussort or if you're just going to pretend this is the perfect opportunity to clean the glove compartment of your car.
Finally handing over the change in your pocket, then wondering for the rest of the day if "The Friends of the Ocean" is just a group of people trying to raise money to get the muffler fixed on their Buick so they can go to Ocean City.
* Do the people who set up temporary businesses on street corners have to pay rent to anyone? Does the entrepreneur strike a deal with the manager of the fast-food restaurant, gas station or record store? Do they offer the managers their choice of merchandise? Are the managers' closets full of Redskins T-shirts and their living room decorated with teeny-tiny reclining La-Z-Boys?
* Forget Magic Mountain at Disneyland. Don't bother with the Rebel Yell at Kings Dominion. The biggest thrill is driving down Dorsey Road by BWI and having a jet fly directly overhead as it prepares to land. The plane is solow you can share a meaningful moment with the passenger in seat 4A.
* Stuck at the intersection of Ritchie Highway and Furnace BranchRoad, I noticed a young woman in the car next to me. She was singingand bopping away in her mini-van/mom-mobile, oblivious to everyone around her. Several other drivers were watching her with bemused expressions. What they couldn't see was the carload of very small childrenthe woman was chauffeuring -- all bopping along with this musical mom.
I smiled all the way home.
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Dozens of volunteers, including several students from Corkran Middle School, are expected to be "part of the solution" when they assist the Save Our Streams group with a clean-up of Sawmill Creek Saturday. The students have been invited to remove debris and trash from the stream.
The students became involved following a visit to their science club last month by Jonathan Pearson of S.O.S.
Pearson explained the environmental concerns about Sawmill Creek -- the watershed and the problems of sedimentation -- and invited the students to participate in the clean-up.
"He used the science club as a vehicle to disseminate information to the community," said Jim Klemstine, the club's faculty adviser. "This is not a school-sponsored field trip but an effort to get the kids involved in the community."
Students must sign up with Klemstine by tomorrow.
Although February may not seem like the best time of year to go wading in a stream, logical reasons are behind that decision.
"During the winter months there is not as much heavy growth of bushes and briers," Klemstine said. "They also mentioned something about reptile life."
Yes, the snakes are hibernating during the winter months so those suffering from "ophidiophobia" are also welcome.
Theproject will get under way at 9 o'clock at Queenstown Park off West Baltimore/Annapolis Boulevard.
Volunteers of all ages are invited to assist with the clean-up. No special skills are required but workers should contact Save Our Streams for additional information, 969-0084.
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Quick, spell anxiety. Better yet, ask Prima Prasertrat tospell it.
Prima won Marley Middle School's eighth-grade spelling bee last month and will represent Marley in the countywide competition later in the month.
Heather Clark took second place and Nicole King took third.
Other students who participated in the spelling bee were: Andy Buckta, Shannon Burroughs, Heather Dyer, Casey Green, Taquita Haywood, Bobbie Lockhart, Melissa McQuade, Chris Nellis, Tom Parker, Amy Shortt, Joe Sisk, Jessica Sweeney and Shawn Upperman.
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Bargain hunters who have exhausted the post-holiday sales may findsolace at a community indoor flea market from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Arthur Slade Regional Catholic School.
Although admission is free, early-bird shoppers can pay a $5 fee and get a chance to view the best buys prior to the 8 a.m. opening.
Refreshments and baked goods will be sold.
A $6 fee is charged to rent a space and for an additional $2 a table will be provided. Fees must be paid by today oran additional $2 late charge will be assessed.
For information call the school, 766-7130, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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Tickets are being sold by the Rebels Basketball organization for two Bullets games at the Baltimore Arena, Feb. 17 and March 3.
The $19 upper-level seats are being sold by the Rebels for $8. Proceeds will be used to allow one of the basketball teams to participate in tournament play.
For ticket information, call 636-2166.
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Call it puppy love. Call it young love. Call it Cupid's folly. Whatever you call it you had better follow up the words with a gift.
Valentine candy-grams are being sold for $1 by the Corkran Middle School Student Government Association through Feb. 13 at the school store.
On Valentine's Daythe candy-grams will be delivered to the recipients in their homeroom. Secret admirers can request anonymity.
Proceeds from the sale will used to send eight students to a math convention in Ocean City next month.
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Dr. Jack Lichtenstein of the Arthritis Foundation of Southern Maryland will be the guest speaker at the Tuesday meeting of the Glen Burnie Chapter of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees.
The meeting will begin at 1 p.m. in the church hall of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 7434 Baltimore-Annapolis Blvd.
Light refreshments will be served after the meeting.
Retired federal employees and their spouses are invited to attend. For additional information call David Burke, 761-2934.
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The public is invited to join the South Glen Burnie Coin Club at its monthly meeting, Tuesday at the VFW Post 160 on Dorsey Road. New members may join at this time.
Members may examine the items available for the monthly club auction when the doors open at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m.
For information on the club or February's meeting call Jim Osborne, 766-2574.