If only in my dreams...

I'm dreaming tonight
Of a place I love
Even more than I usually do
And although I know
It's a long road back
I promise you

I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents under the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love-light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

I remember the first time I actually listened to the words of the song and realized the singer was not actually going to be home for Christmas at all, it made me really sad. At the time, I never thought I would be in that position, but here I am. Now I find the song comforting... There are many people far from home tonight and feeling as I do. I am just thankful that I have a wonderful family back home that loves and supports me in all the crazy things I do. And I have so many happy memories of Christmases past with them. I miss you, dear family, but my thoughts and prayers are with you as we celebrate the birth of our savior this Christmas.

Christmas Concert

Our second concert was tonight (and went much better than the first I must say). Despite the fact that not everything went according to plan and the vocalist (myself included) messed up a few of the lyrics, I think it went fairly well. I for one had a LOT of fun! I am looking forward to many more band practices with this crazy group of super-talented people. =)

One of the high points of the concert, or maybe it was more of a hiatus, was the re-enlistment ceremony of the lead guitarist. I had never been to a re-enlistment ceremony before and it was so cool to be a part of one, especially this particular one. =)

Yes, I am far away from home, and it does not really feel like Christmas at all, but I am still happy to be here and am making the most of this whole crazy experience! So for those of you in the real world, have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! And don't waste any time feeling sorry for me, cuz I'm not! =D

Yeah, uh... I'm in a band

It all began…

Actually, this is one of the most ridiculous stories ever. Even now as I write it, I have to laugh, thinking "this could only happen to me!"

I was in the chow hall with about eight other co-workers. We were all wandering around, getting our food when this guy who looks totally unfamiliar to me walks up and says "you go to the 10:30 service" (referring to the church service). I was not quite sure if it was a question or a statement. I replied, "yes, I went this past Sunday." It was the only Sunday I had been here. He said, "yes, I saw you there. You sing." Again, I wasn't quite sure if it was posed as a question, but I responded as though it was: "yes, I love singing." Finally, he got to his point! He informed me that the worship team at church needed vocalists and asked if I would go to practice the following night. I told him I would think about it, and went in search of my co-workers, who were all sitting down and eating by that time.

I did go to practice that Saturday night. It was a lot of fun. There were other people there who were just there to sing along. It had been a long time (I guess since college) since I have had a chance to just sing praise songs with a group of people. This practice, however, led to other things. A rather tall, bald (BICed, if you know what I mean), Army guy came up to me and asked if I would join his jazz band. I hesitated and equivocated and finally told him I would "see what I could do" about coming to practice that night.

In the end, I did go. We practiced a few songs, I was given a "band name" and put through "initiation," so now I am one of the band.

You know, ever since I can remember I have always wanted to be in a band. Granted, when I was little I wanted to be a punk rocker (hey, it was the 80s) and play the drums. So, I may not be playing any instruments (although they did offer - actually beg - for me to open with a number on the guitar, which I vehemently declined), but at least my childhood dream has been fulfilled. I am officially part of the band. And our first concert is on Friday. I am so nevous, it is not even funny! I have not sung in front of a large group in a very long time, and I've got several solos no less!

I know this is one of the craziest things I have ever done, but I couldn't help myself on this one! =P

Last week, when I was still miserable about the move to a new office and I was complaining about everything and anything, I declared "there is no Christmas here" to a co-worker who was rather appalled by my statement. I was determined to be angry. Life was not fair, I didn't want to be here, and I hated this country! However, I still missed Christmas songs and found myself singing them in the shower one day.

This was the time of year
I had my family near
But they've all gone and I have been so lonely…

Seemed fitting… I could certainly relate with the song's sentiment this year…

Oh Emmanuel, God with us
Spirit revealed in us
That we may be your hope to the world
Oh Emmanuel, God with us
With a light to break the darkness
That we may show your hope to the world
Emmanuel, God with us

Hmmm… It suddenly hit me that my attitude was totally off. Instead of feeling sorry for myself that I was not where I wanted to be, and that I was not with family or friends, I should be thankful, that Christ left His Father, came from perfection, and came here to earth as Emmanuel (God with us!). It's a story I've been told since before I can remember and yet it is easy to forget when I focus on all the little things in my life

Oh Emmanuel, be God with us…

Blessings in disguise

So, I've been here a little over 24 hours and I have pretty much decided I don't want to stay. Of course, I have no say in the matter. I am stuck here for the next 2 months (they could very easily become the worst two months of my life if I do not change my attitude about this place). The people here are nice. I really can't complain. My problem is that I'm really sad about the people I left behind. My last office felt like home by the time I left there, and now I am back to being "the new girl." I know that I need to move on and look for the good in this situation. I keep telling myself that this move may very well turn out to be a blessing is disguise. Now I need to just start believing it.

A Life Lesson

There, little girl, don't cry!
They have broken your doll, I know;
And your tea-set blue,
And your play-house, too,
Are things of the long ago;
But childish troubles will soon pass by.
There! little girl, don't cry!

There, little girl, don't cry!
They have broken your slate, I know;
And the glad, wild ways
Of your school-girl days
Are things of the long ago;
But life and love will soon come by.
There! little girl, don't cry!

There, little girl, don't cry!
They have broken your heart, I know;
And the rainbow gleams
Of your youthful dreams
Are things of the long ago;
But Heaven holds all for which you sigh.
There! little girl, don't cry!

~ James Whitcomb Riley

Ma'Salaama!

I'm always up for a new adventure, but I'm so tired of saying good-bye.Why is it that every adventure has to begin with a good-bye? I leave in two days and leave all the friends I've made behind. I will get to a new place on Monday and start all over again. I'm excited, but also a little sad. I'm just not ready to say good-bye... =(

Quote of the day

And so the 154 people who survived a modern Titanic have fallen into that strange category of luck — the kind that would not be necessary had not horrendous bad fortune preceded it.

Celebrating far from home

It's become the norm to celebrate my birthday in strange places, on the campaign trail, on various work-related trips, etc. But this is the first time I've celebrated my birthday in a foreign country. It was a rather interesting (but fun) day. =) It began with MCMAP training, then moved onto breakfast at the chow hall. I went back to my room and opened the package that a dear friend sent to me (she told me I could not open it until my birthday, so it has been sitting there for over a week - the suspense has been killing me!). Work began at 0830, as usual and the fun began. L thought it would be fun to decorate my work space with pictures of Orlando Bloom and Justin Timberlake. =P I got lots of e-cards and messages on Facebook from my family and friends back in the states (it's always nice to know you have not been forgotten!). L, K, and I went to the main-side chow hall for lunch so we could get ice cream (yummy!). The day continued with some shopping and a stop at the coffee shop for a mango smoothie. L told everyone we met or ran into that it was my birthday. I had Marines, guards, and random people wishing me a happy birthday (the guy at the chow hall responded by over-filling my bowl with ice cream =P). For the remainder of the day, people stopped in the office with well wishes. It was not like any birthday I've ever had before...It will definitely be a birthday that I will always remember. =)

On PFTs and Pride

Since I have been working with a bunch of Marines, I have done my best to assimilate and become part of the group. I don't chew, smoke, or swear, so I am at somewhat of a disadvantage. However, I do like physical activity and Marines are all about physical activity! =) They run just about every day (I join them about every other). They train in martial arts at 0530 on weekdays (I am there faithfully, kicking, punching, and ground-fighting with the best of them). And they have PFTs. Now, I have never had to do a PFT (physical fitness test) for anything in my life, but I figured I would give it a go (I mean, how bad could 100 crunches, a 70 second arm hang, and a 3 mile run be?!). The arm hang was first... I was down after 15 seconds (pitiful!). The crunches came next... 100, no problemo! Then the run... I have never come so close to throwing up after a run in all my life! It was all I could do to keep the pizza, salad, and stir-fry from lunch down (ok, so a HUGE lunch right before a PFT is not a brilliant idea... now I know. =P). After all of that, my total score was a 170 out of a possible 300. Now THAT is a major blow to the ego! =( I was only shooting for a 225... maybe that was my problem. I should have aimed higher. In any case, I will conquer that arm hang by the time I leave here! =P In the meantime, a dose of humility every once in a while can be a good thing.

It's a girl thing

One of the guys in my church once said that if girls do anything that doesn't make sense to him, he just chalks it up as "a girl thing." At the time I took offense to that, but I'm realizing it's somewhat true, and it works as a great answer!

I now work in an environment where I am surrounded by guys. L, the only other girl here my age, is my life saver! We pretty much stick together and have one another's back. When one of us needs to make a head call, the other is always there to accompany (it's quite a hike over there - we are picky and prefer to use the one with running water - imagine that!). If one of us need to go to one of the other trailers nearby, the other usually tags along. Coffee runs, laundry drop off, a visit to the PX, you name it, and we do it together. The guys just don't understand it at all and like to tease us. I always just say "it's a girl thing." This morning, I had 3 bags of laundry (we bring our laundry into the office twice a week), so I took all kinds of flak for that! It's not my fault that I like my clothes clean, I'm a girl! The best, though, was this morning when L. beeped the horn so the guard at the gate would give us the go ahead... it turns out, the guy had been in the little port-a-john next to the guard house. When we got to the gate, he was laughing and so were we. The guy in the car with us thought it was totally unfair that the guard was laughing and not cursing us under his breath for beeping the horn. He was like "if it had been a guy, he would have been all mad." Hey, sometimes it pays to be a girl. =P

Guten Tag!

I have NO idea why, but my whole blogger website here comes up in German! It is actually quite frustrating. I keep coming back to this page to post and think maybe if I try again later it will be in English. No such luck. It's been a few days now, so I guess I'm just gonna have to deal and make a few mistakes along the way (like accidentally deleting the pictures I tried to upload). The internet connection can be rather slow at times, so uploading stuff is a pain. I shouldn't complain though... I have internet access, and my very sweet coworker lets me use her computer all the time.

Livin' the good life

My time at the resort while I was "in-processing" was so amazing I can not even tell you! I had a seaview room, and awoke to a beautiful sunrise.

I walked along the beach for a while, picking up shells along the way.

Then I went and got a pedicure, so I was ready for a night on the town, complete with pistachio gelato for dessert!

Yeah, I'm pretty much a happy camper!

The Wedding

It was absolutely beautiful in every way! The bride was beautiful, the flowers were beautiful, the ceremony was beautiful, even the programs (is that what you call them in a wedding?) were beautiful... well, you get the picture. =)

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered..."


"With this ring..."


My favorite part was the hour I spent doing the bride's hair and getting her ready for the happiest day of her life (so far). We had a room in the church all to ourselves for wedding preperations, and the other bridesmaids did not start arriving until after I had finished her hair, so we had a quiet, unstressed hour together (the last time I would have with her before she became "Mrs. R").


K did an amazing job with all the flowers, from the bouquets to the boutonnieres to the arrangments in both the church and reception hall. Yeah, she's pretty much a rock star!

There are days...

when everything is just wrong, and all you can do is hope that forgiveness is still available (though undeserved).

Falling, falling, sinking down, doubting in despond.
Is their hope will I live, is their life beyond?
Dark the night, hard the fight, shadows closing in.
I am sinking underneath this burden of my sin!

Then a light split the night, I heard someone say,
"I have come to lift you up, help you find your way!"
Then he drew me from the mire, helped me learn to stand.
Glad I am that Help was near, reaching out his hand.

Then he drew me from the mire, helped me learn to stand.
Glad I am that Help was near, reaching out his hand.
~ Judy Rogers

Why are you cast down, O my soul,and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. ~ Psalm 43:5

With all my worldly goods, I thee endow (except the bamboo bookcase)

I think I am officially homeless (or as homeless as one with lots of family and friends can be). My Mom and two little siblings helped me move out today. Everything I own in this world now occupies a small corner of "the girls'" three-car garage. It is a rather odd feeling to know there is really no place on earth that I can go and say "this space right here is mine." Even when I shared my bedroom with my sister, growing up, my bed was my own. It was the one spot I could tell my sister not to touch. We respected each other's bed space. =) But I don't even have that anymore. It's a very strange feeling - not bad, just strange...

I just want to leave already!

I wish that I could fly
Into the sky
So very high
Just like a dragonfly

I'd fly above the trees
Over the seas in all degrees
To anywhere I please

I want to get away
I want to fly away

~Lenny Kravitz

A thought for all my dear friends and family who are hurting right now

I know I'm broken
But You alone
Can mend this heart of mine
You're always with me

And even though I'm walking
Through the valley of the shadow
I will hold tight to the hand of Him
Whose love will comfort me
And when all hope is gone
And I've been wounded in the battle
He is all the strength that I will ever need
He will carry me

And even though I feel so lonely
Like I have never been before
You never said it would be easy
But You said You'd see me through the storm

And even though I'm walking
Through the valley of the shadow
I will hold tight to the hand of Him
Whose love will comfort me
And when all hope is gone
And I've been wounded in my battle
He is all the strength that I will ever need
He will carry me

~ Mark Schultz

Wishing I felt the freedom...

Turnin' molehills into mountains
Makin' big deals out of small ones
Bearing gifts as if they're burdens
This is how it's been
Afraid of coming out of my shell
Too many things I can't do too well
Afraid I'll try real hard
And I'll fail
This is how it's been
Till the day You pounded on my heart's door
And You shouted joyfully
You're not a slave anymore!

You're free to dance
Forget about your two left feet
And you're free to sing
Even joyful noise is music to Me
You're free to love
'Cause I've given you My love
And it's made you free
I have set you free!

I try so hard not to be a ditz

and yet I still manage to do and say SO many STUPID things! Today's ditzy moment was rather embarassing, but it was also pretty funny (I had to laugh), so for your amusement I will share my short story. I was at a class with a bunch of military/defense contractor types. We had to fill out a bunch of forms and sign a ton of papers. Well, the third "sign-in" sheet that went around had a list of names with numbers next to them. I filled in my name and cell phone number in the appropriate spaces and passed it on to the next student. The class continued and I did not think about it again until... one of the instuctors came into the room asking for me. And, in front of the whole class, announced that I had written in my cell phone number instead of my social security number. OOPS! Well, everyone in the classroom got a good laugh at that one. I am now known as "the cell-phone number girl." I suppose there could be worse reputations (not that I can think of any right now...).

Interesting Perspective on Iraq

Of course I am a little biased, seeing as it was written by my favorite former professor. =)

By Dr. Robert Stacey

I never have understood how tea leaves are supposed to predict the future. How does one glean concrete information from a soggy wad of brown leaves? At first glance, recent events in Iraq may seem about as orderly as a lump of wet leaves, but careful scrutiny reveals a picture more sensible than that of a fortuneteller's.
The most important indicator of Iraq's future is the series of talks between Iranian and American officials, the third round of which took place last week. On their face, such talks seem highly improbable. Iran and the U.S. have taken twisted pleasure in hating one another these past 30 years. And yet here is the senior partner in the Axis of Evil sitting down to have a cordial discussion with the Great Satan. How did that happen?
Since the start of the insurgency in Iraq, Iran has assumed the Americans would eventually "cut and run." When that happened, the Iranians assumed they would exert their influence over the Shiite majority in Iraq and turn their neighbor into a client state that could be used to extend hegemony throughout the rest of the Middle East.
The only problem with this plan was that the U.S. did not bow out as predicted. Earlier this year when George Bush - having suffered a stinging electoral defeat and facing a massive public backlash - announced not a withdrawal but a surge, Iran began to recalculate. Perhaps the Americans were not leaving after all.
The Iranians remember the last time they waited out a weakened, lame-duck president in Jimmy Carter. They ended up with Ronald Reagan, who felt no obligation to negotiate, let alone yield anything.
The Bush administration has learned a painful lesson: Its preferred outcome of a stable, democratic, pro-American regime in Iraq will never be. This is largely because Iran easily can foment instability via its Shiite proxies indefinitely. But now Iran realizes that it cannot have its preferred outcome either: another Shiite client state and regional hegemony. As a result, Iran has agreed to earnest negotiations with its most ardent regional rival.
Lost in the fog of Iraqi bombings and reprisals was the recent killing of Mohammed al-Badri - a top al-Qaida figure in Iraq - in a U.S. air strike. Al-Badri orchestrated the bombing of the al-Asakariyah shrine, revered by Shiites. The killing was significant to Iran. According to Strategic Forecasting, "Though public distrust has marred past rounds of negotiations, this time might be different . . . .The Americans now are figuratively dropping a head on the table as a token of sincerity."
And Iran's sincerity? It is no coincidence that Iran has agreed to international inspections of its nuclear program.
But what of other troubling events in Iraq? For example, in advance of the latest round of U.S.- Iranian talks, several Sunni members of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's cabinet resigned, while numerous others temporarily boycotted. Suspicion abounds among Iraq's Sunnis that an agreement between Iran and the U.S. will favor Iraqi Shiites. Some Sunnis would rather disrupt the Iran-U.S. rapprochement now than face a Shiite-dominated government later.
Here is where Saudi Arabia enters the picture. As the chief Sunni state in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, too, fears an ascendant Iran. A reconstituted Iraq dominated by Iran would bring the Persian Shiite aggressor to the doorstep of the Sunni Arab homeland. Last week's attacks by Saudi police on Iraqi pilgrims (including relatives of a senior government official) at a holy site in Mecca were a reminder that the Saudis still have clout - not to mention control over Islam's holiest cities.
The Saudis and Iraq's Sunnis are perhaps justifiably fearful of an Iranian-American deal, which explains why the Bush administration picked this time to announce major arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf allies.
Why, the critics ask, would the administration throw fuel on a fire already out of control by introducing more weapons to a troubled region? The answer is simple: The weapons are meant to allay Saudi concerns about concessions to Iran. What's more, the approach seems to be working. Despite their fears, the Saudis thus far have been content to trust America to secure Sunni interests at the table with Iran.
If all of this seems complicated, that's because it is. Delicate, too. Like used tea leaves, these initial steps toward stability in Iraq could be overturned by a simple swish of the cup. Nevertheless, if one substitutes recent events for tea leaves, the future of Iraq is looking a little less gloomy.

Georgia on my mind...

The Tybee Island Lighthouse


The cobblestones of River Street in Savannah


Downtown Savannah


I don't know what kind of a flower this is, but I saw a bunch of them at the beach and thought they were SO pretty (so, of course, I took a few pictures).

Here are a couple of pics I took during my down time

The police precinct (pretty sweet!)


Old railroad tracks along the water


The marina


A street in the historic district

I think I love Georgia, despite the southerness of it. =P

I wish I had known in advance!

I sat in the Glynco Jetport for hours on Friday, waiting to see if my plane would arrive. They were having technical difficulties (loose bolts). It did eventually arrive (three hours late!). Well, I wish I had known then that all you have to do is sacrifice a goat to appease the sky god and all would well! Apparently, Nepal Airlines knows something Delta is ignorant of. At least I know for next time. =)

My life be like ooh ah...

The fear of never falling in love
And the tears after losing the feelings
Of what you thought love was
Like the dirt still up under the rug
(My life be like)
Bad characteristics covered in Christ's blood
The joy of new birth and the pain of growing up
The bliss between giving my all and giving up
The highs and lows,
Paths and roads I chose
In the cold I froze
Trying to ease my woes
In this world of sin
Clothes to thin to fend
So to God I send
Words of help to win
In grumblings so deep letters could never express
So the sounds of Ooh Ahh beneath my breath projects

My life be like ooh aah ooh

So why, oh why, do I trip and stumble?
And ooh ahh as commitments crumble?
I can't believe that I'm here again...

On "Cream Cheese" and "Giggles"

or How Nicknames Stick

In the last month, I have acquired a number of nicknames. I wish I could say they came about due to my great skill and expertise - names like "gunfighter" or "fast-track" - but no, they have more to do with my weaknesses. =( One of the driving instructors commented on how much I laugh. I didn't say a whole lot during the driving classes because what was there to say? I did laugh a lot though, usually at my own mistakes or those of my classmates. Anyway, during the night vision driving, I was definitely more giggly than usual (I would like to blame it on lack of sleep). Well, the instuctor began calling me "Giggles," not just to me, but even over the radio so all the instructors could hear. The name caught on and I became "Giggles" during driving classes.

The following week, during linguist training, I greeted a man (role player), whom we were interrogating, with a "good morning, how are you?" Although he replied in another language, I knew he was not just wishing me a good morning, but when I asked our translator, she said "he says good morning too." After the class was over, and I was talking to the aforementioned role player and translator, I asked what was really said at that point. The guy seemed reluctant to answer, but the girl told me he said "good morning, cream cheese" (or what would be the equivalent of "hi, sweetie pie"). He tried to explain himself by telling me that that would have the response of any guy in his country if they saw a cute girl, then went on to say that they love blondes. This all took place in front of many of my male classmates, who found this quite amusing and continue to call me "Cream Cheese" (BTW, did I mention that the role player was a VERY good-looking, well-built man?!). The guys have gotten a LOT of milage out of that one! =)

The gas chamber

I have to admit, I expected it to be a LOT worse. I had to get over my claustrophobia and get the gas mask on my face, but once that was accomplished, the rest was quite simple. We walked into the rather small shed with the mask in place. Once in, the doors were closed and a gas capsul was opened over a flame. The instructor made us hold our breath, close our eyes and break the seal of the mask. After that we cleared and resealed our masks and were allowed to leave. The gas did make my eyes water a little and created somewhat of a burning sensation on any exposed skin, but overall, it was pretty easy (disappointingly so). I know the military guys have to actually take the mask off and talk, making the whole experience much worse. As much as I HATE pain and generally avoid it at all costs, I guess I just wanted to see what it is they go through (I don't know, maybe it's morbid curiosity). Anyway, that is the extent of my gas chamber experience. I'm sorry it was not more exciting.

So, I'm going home...

Out of 19 people, I think I am the only one disappointed to be moving out of this hotel and going back to real life (you know, the kind with real responsibilities). I've enjoyed this past month of no cleaning, cooking, or really much of anything but playing big people versions of little kid games. On the other hand, I am VERY much looking forward to getting back to my peeps. It feels like FOREVER since I've seen all my dear family and friends. There are so many pictures and stories to share with you all. I can't wait! =) Just a few more days...

I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home.

The miles are getting longer, it seems,
The closer I get to you.
I've not always been the best friend for you.
But your love, remains true.
And I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.

Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all,
And then some you don't want.
Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all, yeah.

Oh, well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old.
I said these places and these faces are getting old.
So I'm going home.
I'm going home.
~ Chris Daughtry

Theme verse for my life (for now, anyway)

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
~ Psalm 4:8

Currently in "people-person" phase

I love anonymity and I love being noticed
Just the same as anybody else
Years ago I told you how I loved to be alone
These days I'd be perjuring myself
~ Caedmon's Call

The excitement continues...

Yesterday morning was driving with night vision goggles. It is the trippiest experience I have ever had in my life! Besides the fact that it was already pitch black out, we were driving in the middle of the woods, effectively shutting out what little light there was in the night sky. There were times when I thought for sure I was head straight for a bush, instead of the open road I was on. I did come close to hitting a tree, but thankfully, there were other people in the car and they saw the tree before I did. =)
In the afternoon we learned how to ram through cars and do J-turns. I have always wanted to learn how to do a J-turn!!! But when it came down to it, I was scared (surprising, considering how much I love to drive and general lack of fear in cars). My first try was a miserable failure! =( But if at first you don't succeed... =) I tried6 or 7 times more, improving with each one. I would not consider myself proficient by any means, but I think if it came down to it, I could certainly execute a fairly successful J-turn.
Today was driving in hostile conditions... uh, I'll leave it at that. =) We got some great video footage, so maybe if you are really nice to me, I'll let you see it. =)

Yup. Still a morning person...

First, I think I messed up the time on my last post. My alarm was set for 0300. We have to be at the classroom and in gear by 0400 (not so bad). For some reason, just knowing that I had to get up in a couple of hours pretty much prevented me from sleeping at all. I finally just got up at 0230. It was all good though... my current favorite Superchick song came on the radio, so I'm good to go. =P

Good morning, sunshine!

That is the way I like to great my siblings in the morning when I am waking them up. This earned me the nickname of "Sunshine" from my dear sisters (both night owls). Yes, I am a morning person, I confess. This often angers family, coworkers, and friends. I can't help it. There is something so satisfying about being the only one ina group that is happy to be awake. =) Tomorrow will be a test, though. The first class begins in a few hours (at 0300). We are going to be doing some driving exercises, wearing night vision goggles (obviously, we need it to be dark enough outside). I am very excited about this, but am a little concerned about being awake enough for it. Only time will tell... (will write about it tomorrow if I can get on the computer).

Not for the weak of heart...er, I mean, stomach

Up until today I felt like I have done a fairly good job of keeping up with the guys and holding my own, but then came first aid training... The first bad thing that happened was that I was asked to be the victim, lying flat on my belly in front of the class (which would not have been bad - I could have fallen asleep if she didn't have to do all those demonstrations on me!). When the touching began, I held it together for as long as I could (it wasn't long) until my entire body began convulsing in a fit of giggles (what the instructor did not realize when she chose me is that I am probably the single most ticklish person in the universe!). I was DYING!!! I just kept thinking this can't go on much longer - she has touched every part of my body that is reachable, but then she would manage to get her hand further down my vest, or under my body. When I was finally rolled onto my back, I could feel the tears (my eyes always tear up when I laugh) rolling down my cheeks. At that point, one of the guys suggested that the instructor demonstrate inserting the nose tube. I tried to shoot him a look of death, but it was difficult, given my rather vulnerable position. Thankfully, the instructor did not even consider his request. After all that torture was over, we had to practice on each other (fortunately, there was another girl in my group!). The second bad part of the day was the practical exercise... We had three manequins in various states of injury and we had to be the first reponders. After pulling the pants off our guy, we quickly assertained that his left leg was badly cut and his femoral artery was pumping out blood very quickly (in reality, a raw chicken breast with tubes pumping fake blood was strapped to the life-sized doll). I applied pressure to the wound as an instructor continually kept the blood pumping. Unfortunately, the tube came loose and flew our of the chicken, spraying one of my classmates in the face. This was more than I could handle and I let out a loud shriek. Once the tube was back in place, we continued putting the tourniquet on (or I should say my classmate did, while I held the chicken down as blood spurted through my fingers and all over the concrete). I was truly nausiated. The blood not only looked real, but because it had been out in the hot sun for a while before the exercise began, it was the right temperature too. I was very thankful for my latex gloves, but even that was not enough. I was never more happy to be finished with a class before in my life. And now I know for sure that I could NEVER be a nurse! Unfortunately, I head back for more of the same tomorrow I am afraid... I can only hope it goes better. C, I have a whole new respect for you!!!

Is that a tattoo?!

After church, I went for a walk along the water. As I passed this older man, he asked rather loudly, and in a voice that conveyed dismay, "is that a tattoo?!" I was slightly confused when I realized he was talking to me. I mean, yes, I have a tattoo, but there was no way he could possibly see the little dolphin on my right ankle, since he was standing to my left. The confusion must have been evident in my expression, because he quickly pointed to his shoulder, indicating that he meant the Finding Nemo band-aid on my shoulder. I laughed, realizing what he was talking about. "No," I said "it's a band-aid." He smiled and looked relieved. I didn't bother to show him my real tattoo. =) I thought it was odd that this complete stranger even cared wether or not I had a tattoo, but it was kinda funny.

Pop-culturally challenged

My musical education has one major deficiency, or so some of my classmates seem to think. About 8 years ago, I had a friend who tried to get me up to speed on 80s music. He introduced me to Duran Duran, Pat Benetar, and a few others. I'm not a huge 80s music fan, so I thought my knowledge sufficient. Apparently, I still managed to miss most of the entire Classic Rock genre. This fact both dismayed and amused the guys I was hanging with yesterday. After a day at the beach, I was exhausted and so surrendered the wheel to a willing driver, unfortunately, that meant also surrendering the radio dial. =( With each new song that came over the airwaves, the question came: "who is this?" The answer I provided never changed: "I don't know." Even now I cannot remember the songs that played, or the artists that wrote them, with the exception of John Melloncamp (sp?) because I thought his name was funny and I had heard the song many times before. I guess that kind of music just doesn't make much of an impression on me.

Be Agressive! Be-e Agressive!

Who would have thought that my Mom's advise as she taught me to drive would come in so handy?! As we began the driving part of training yesterday, I could hear my Mom's voice in my head, telling mw, "now you've got to be more agressive in the car or you will never survive in NY." I have since learned that that is twice as true in some foreign cities (i.e. Paris), and was definitely helpful in yesterday's course. Yes,I did flatten quite a few cones, but I did it with such style. =P

I am now a certified gun-slinger

...or something like that. =P I passed both the written exam and all the standards and qualifications (YAY!).

We are moving onto a whole new set of exercises. Last night we were working with GPS and today we start defensive driving. This should be interesting, considering we will still be in full gear, which limits mobility significantly. I will definitely update you all on that one. Right now I am debating whether or not to eat breakfast. Judging from the last driving class I was in, foregoing the most important meal of the day might actually be a good idea. In any case, I gotta go... time to prep for the day.

How is this my life?!

In the last two weeks I have learned more about guns than I have ever cared to know (not that I haven't enjoyed the experience). Not only can I shoot them in just about any position, including flat on my back, shooting over my shoulder, I can also break them down, clean them, and put them back together. Every morning, I get to the range at 7:15, suit up into my "hero gear" (40+ lbs. worth!), and strap on a Sig at my side and an M-4 across my chest. Eye and ear protection are also worn, and a military-style helmet completes the look. Once geared up it is difficult to tell any of us apart, except for me, of course, with my wayward curls escaping from the helmet in all directions. =) I've been wearing a camo head band to lend some control to my crazy hair, which has earned me the name "GI Jane" from one of my fellow gunfighters. Another nickname I've recieved (this one disignated by an instructor) is Annie Oakley.

As the only student in this class with no prior firearms experience, I have managed to draw some attention to myself. The best (or worst) example of this was during our night qualifications (shooting in the dark) when I had to re-do the reload drill over and over (probably 10 times) while my classmates had to stand by and wait. On my last try, I did it in 6 seconds rather than the maximum 8 seconds and impressed those near enough to see. Another rather amusing mess-up was during another qualification. We were at the 50 yard line, lying on our bellies, aiming for a round steel plate. I fired the required two shots and heard the accompanying clink, clink, unfortunately, I was aiming at my neighbor's target, so I obviously missd my own. After focusing on my on target once more, I fired two more shots. This time I was right on! =)

While all of this is quite amusing (also the most physically demanding thing I've done in my life!), every day I think to myself, HOW IS THIS MY LIFE?! There are so many seperate decisions and occurances in life that lead us to the present, and I often wonder which of those things in particular, brought me to this point? If anyone had ever told me that this is what I would be doing, I would never have believed them, and yet, here I am.

I am off to church now... will try to update again soon.

I am still alive

I know I've been silent for a couple of weeks... there is good reason for this (lack of connectivity and/or computer). Just wanted to give a shout out to all my peeps and let you know that I am safe and well and will update you when I get a chance.

till then, this is me, signing out...

Merry Christmas in July! =D

Normally, I ignore this quasi-holiday (not that I am exaclty celebrating it today), but today, as I was sitting in traffic after an abnormally frustrating medical appointment with truly INCOMPETANT people (nothing like government medical care... Michael Moore can take his socialized healthcare and shove it!), I turned on the radio and began channel surfing. It did not take long to come across "All I Want for Christmas." It made me smile, reminiscing on happier moments, surrounded by family, bright lights, colorful paper, and lots of love. My thoughts soon turned to Christmas '07... Where will I be? What will I be doing? Who will I be celebrating with? Will we celebrate at all? It's not like I haven't thought about those things before, but each time I do, there is a sadness that accompanies those thoughts. This will be my first Thanksgiving and Christmas away from home. =( The thought of it is just depressing... So, back to thoughts of Christmases past and happier, carefree times.

Tulle, tiaras, and registries - oh my!

The things you put up with when your best friend gets engaged...

The top 10 things I learned over the weekend

1. How to play Rook (very fun game!).
2. Never to mention Romper Room in the company of those younger (it just reveals your age).
3. Guys do not know how to put on sun block, or a t-shirt for that matter.
4. When guys don't understand something, they chalk it up as "a girl thing."
5. Always arrive at a camp-out after the rain is over and the sun has had time to dry things out.
6. Being a chaperone totally rocks! You get to do all the fun things, but have no one to tell you what to do. =P
7. Revenge may be sweet, but unprovoked attacks on the enemy (a.k.a. guys) is so much more fun!
8. Two girls are better than one when it comes to attack strategies (thanks, Olivia and Emma).
9. Girly-guys are too easy to tease (it should be illegal).
...and last but not least
10. If you want to attract attention on the boardwalk, don't wear a bikini like everone else, wear jeans, sneakers, and most importantly, a towel wrapped around your head so that nothing but your nose shows (just ask Drew).

Wait, I forgot my memory at home!

Apparently, cell-phones and PDAs are to adults what video games are to children - brain cell killers. We no longer need to memorize phone numbers or anything else for that matter. We can store everything from birthdates to grocery lists on our little technological gadgets and then forget about it until the information is needed. Because of this phenomenon, people rarely try to memorize anything on a daily basis. To use a phrase I learned in my childhood, if you don't use it, you'll lose it. That is exactly what has happened to our society. The ability to remember the most basic things is disappearing. And the youngest are the worst off according to the recent study.

28 days

That is the time I have left in my office (with all the training I have to do in the next 3 months) before I ship out. In the meantime, I have wedding (not mine), bridal shower, and the like to prepare for (the 28 will be down to 24 or so after I take time off for the wedding and to see my family). So much to do, so little time...

After this, 84 hour work weeks might just feel like a vacation... then again, maybe not. =P

Renouncing feminism

Anyone who knows me knows my feminist tendancies. They stem from my innate competitiveness, especially since I grew up playing with boys (who always thought they were faster, stronger, etc., just because they were of the masculine gender - at age 10, that was not the case! =]). Now that I am grown, I am still competitive, especially with guys, but I am coming to realize that am not the feminist I thought I was. Somehow, this state of enlightenment is not disconcerting, but rather strangely comforting.

This morning, as I was showering in the ladies locker room, I overheard a conversation (I could not help hearing it, the one woman was speaking very loudly to be heard over the running water). Throughout the entirety of her disquisition, I did not hear a single pleasant thing come from her lips. She slandered her bosses, gossipped about her co-workers, and complained about everything from the weather to the war in Iraq. I kept wondering as I listened to her, what do other people hear when I talk? I hope not that! The last topic she brought up has stuck with me because it was so anti-women, anti-mothers. I couldn't believe what I was hearing! The comment was regarding the wives of some of her male co-workers. The women had apparently gone to their spouses' boss, as a group, to intercede on their behalf. Her response was this: "they need to just shut the ___ up! Let them stay home and pop out some more babies and stay out of their husbands' business." The "pop out more babies" part was what got me initially, but as I thought about it, her entire sentiment really irritated me. She obviously doesn't realize that a marriage is a partnership of equals. Maybe if she had, her own marriage would have survived.

I was appalled that she could be so uncharitable to her own sex. It was obvious she thought "popping out babies" was a job for those who cannot get a "real" job. I wanted to respond to her ill spoken comment (foul language aside), but I decided not to descend to her level. As I stood there fuming, I realized I am not a feminist at all. My idea of equality does not mirror the ideology of the feminists. I still hold to rather old-fashioned concept of seperate but equal roles for men and women. There are very few things men can do that women cannot, but there is one thing women can do that men can definitely NOT do. Why should we degrade this. I think in many ways it is a higher calling. There is no one in the world I respect more than my Mother, and of the people I think most highly, the majority are home-schooling Moms. The more I live in this work-a-day world, the more I am disillusioned by it.

Maybe there is hope for me yet. =P

For all the talk of collaboration, lack of communication is still our greatest weakness

I read the following on ABC News and was amazed to realize we have learned nothing since 9/11.

U.S. law enforcement officials received intelligence reports two weeks ago warning of terror attacks in Glasgow and Prague, the Czech Republic, against "airport infrastructure and aircraft." The warnings apparently never reached officials in Scotland, who said this weekend they had received "no advance intelligence" that Glasgow might be a target.

C'mon, people! Let's get with the program!

Aimless wanderer

Yup. That's me. My sister did one of these on her blog, and I just wanted to compare. =) I was surprised by how accurate most of it was. Of course, my near future is anything but calm and relaxing, but hey, whatdya expect from these things, perfection?!

What Your Soul Really Looks Like

You are a wanderer. You constantly long for a new adventure, challenge, or eve a completely different life. You are a very grounded, responsible, and realistic person. People may not want to hear the truth from you, but they're going to get it. You believe that people see you as a bit small and insignificant. People pay more attention to you than you think. Your near future is calm, relaxing, and pretty much what you want. And it's something you've been anticipating for a while now. For you, falling in love is all about flirting and feeling playful. You couldn't fall in love with someone who took life too seriously.

Inside the Room of Your Soul

Why did God make bugs?

I remember asking that question as a child, and thinking, if given the chance to make a world, I would make a bug-less one. I couldn't help but remember these childhood thoughts as I read about the new "synthetic" life scientists are trying to create and came across this line: "scientists want to create new kinds of bacterium to make new types of bugs." I may not have understood the ecological ramifications my bug-less world would have suffered, but I certainly do know now that everything man introduces has at least two bad side effects for every good one. I do not want some genetically engineered bug, created by a scientist in his little lab. I am still having a difficult enough time trying not to complain about the ones God made!

Of faeries and fireflies

It was a calm, sultry night... If I were writing a story that began last night, that would be the opening line I think. Well, maybe not, but it does describe the feeling of last night as I wandered aimlessly throughout my neighborhood. The sun had set, but the sky was still rather bright, scattered with puffy golden clouds. In the shadows, fireflies glowed, making an adorable little English-style garden look as though under some magical spell. I could picture Ciderella's fairy godmother waving her wand, scattering sparkling magic dust in the flower beds. Hanging from the tree branches were little lanterns, which, from a distance, made me think of faeries (notice the use of the English spelling... I felt as if I had been transported to another place and time). I could have stood there staring at this picturesque front yard for a very long time if it weren't for the fact that I did not want to cause suspicion. The sweetest little old couple (I would guess that they are octagenarians) live there, and I could just imagine that one of their neighbors probably look out for them.

I hope if I ever become one of those old ladies, who spends all her time in the garden, my garden looks very much like that. =)

Wisdom from a poet

The peril of every fine faculty is the delight of playing with it for pride. Talent is commonly developed at the expense of character, and the greater it grows, the more is the mischief. Talent is mistaken for genius, a dogma or system for truth, ambition for greatest, ingenuity for poetry, sensuality for art.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Of sore arms and sleepless nights

Normally I am thrilled to have sore arms because it means I have been doing some major working out and toning up, but not today. Today my arms are sore due to giving 4 vials of blood for various tests and recieving 5 of the 10 needed shots. The guy taking my blood was so busy flirting with my co-worker, he was not really paying attention. He blew the vain (which I am used to) and tied the rubberband thing so tight, I could not feel my fingers. Then he had me gripping a squishy ball (it was all I could do to keep from dropping it), but forgot to tell me to let go of it when he pulled the needle out, causing it to bleed more than necessary. Thankfully, he did not give me the shots (he would have if it weren't for the fact that I had to remove my shirt). The shots actually did not hurt at all going in (ok, one hurt a little), but about five hours later, my arms were REALLY sore. I laid in bed with my arms to the side. I couldn't lift them above my head because that hurt, and I definitely couldn't lay on my side because that hurt even more, so a laid there, staring up at the ceiling fan as it went round and round, wishing I could just fall to sleep. I did, eventually... at 2 A.M., just to be awoken by my alarm at 4:30. I am SO tired. Can I just go back to bed already?!

Partly sunny with a 99% chance of... dust?!

I came across this weather forecast and thought it quite amusing. I have heard of hazy, cloudy, sunny, and other such weather, but "widespread dust?!" I didn't think dust was a weather condition, but apparently, in some places of the world, it is. I wanna go! =P

Happiness!

My sister sent this to me today to make me smile... so I thought I'd share the sunshine.

De Profundus

For the Greek gods, in spite of the white and red of their fair fleet limbs, were not really what they appeared to be. The curved brow of Apollo was like the sun's disc crescent over a hill at dawn, and his feet were as the wings of the morning, but he himself had been cruel to Marsyas and had made Niobe childless. In the steel shields of Athena's eyes there had been no pity for Arachne; the pomp and peacocks of Hera were all that was really noble about her; and the Father of the Gods himself had been too fond of the daughters of men. The two most deeply suggestive figures of Greek Mythology were, for religion, Demeter, an Earth Goddess, not one of the Olympians, and for art, Dionysus, the son of a mortal woman to whom the moment of his birth had proved also the moment of her death. But Life itself from its lowliest and most humble sphere produced one far more marvellous than the mother of Proserpina or the son of Semele. Out of the Carpenter's shop at Nazareth had come a personality infinitely greater than any made by myth and legend, and one, strangely enough, destined to reveal to the world the mystical meaning of wine and the real beauties of the lilies of the field as none, either on Cithaeron or at Enna, had ever done.
~ Oscar Wilde

It is truly humbling to read the reverant words of a profligate like Oscar Wilde and realize that in some ways he had a better perspective of the significance of Christ's coming than I do.

Whatever my God ordains is right

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His holy will abideth;
I will be still whate’er He doth;
And follow where He guideth;
He is my God; though dark my road,
He holds me that I shall not fall:
Wherefore to Him I leave it all.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Here shall my stand be taken;
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
Yet I am not forsaken.
My Father’s care is round me there;
He holds me that I shall not fall:
And so to Him I leave it all.
~ Samuel Rodigast

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright. Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.
~ Psalm 20:7-9

This dolphin is headed to the sandbox!

But only for a few months. I think I can handle being out of water for that long. =P

Today's Thoughts

Oscar Wilde was probably one of the most brilliant writers ever!

I remembered that Monrovia is the capitol of Liberia (thanks, Dr. B), which made some people think I was smart.

Remembering facts that seem unimportant at the moment can be helpful someday... who woulda thought anyone would ever ask me where Bohemia was (the European one, not the one on LI)?! More importantly, who woulda ever thought I'd remember? =P

Stressing over things beyond our control is obviously ridiculous, but stressing about the things we can control is equally pathetic.

I forgot how much I love getting lost in a good book.

Strawberries make everything better.

NY (only NYC and LI count) is the best of all possible worlds... especially in the summer.

Spiders are preferable to centipedes.

Baking is theraputic.

Black and white movies are best.

I miss my childhood. If I could go back to any time, I would be 13 or 14 again (I think). Life was so carefree.

I hate my job.

Humidity is good.

AC is bad.

The current soundtrack of my life is dissonant, but not in a bad way.

S.O.S. to the world

Just a castaway
An island lost at sea
Another lonely day
No one here but me
More loneliness
Than any man could bear
Rescue me before I fall into despair

Ill send an S.O.S. to the world…
I hope that someone gets my…
Message in a bottle

A year has passed since I wrote my note
But I should have known this right from the start
Only hope can keep me together
Love can mend your life
But love can break your heart

Ooh... message in a bottle
Message in a bottle

Walked out this morning
Don’t believe what I saw
A hundred billion bottles
Washed up on the shore
Seems I’m not alone in being alone
A hundred billion castaways
Looking for a home

Ill send an S.O.S. to the world
Ill send an S.O.S. to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle…

I’ve become a bit of a Sting fan in the past year. I was listening to the words of this particular song several weeks ago (it was in my alarm clock CD player and it was the first song, so it kinda entered my subconscious) and it struck me how relevant the song is today. Though written for a prior generation, it may actually be even more accurate now. I mean, how many people would really put a message in a bottle and send it out to sea? A few, maybe… more after the movie came out, probably, but really, what are the odds that such a desperate attempt will be answered? Now, however, millions of people send their message out there on the world-wide-web, in bottles known as “blogs.” Many bloggers (like me) just like to write, and a blog seems like the perfect spot to dump these endless ramblings. There are many blogs out there, though, that are filled with hopeless cries for help. There are so many people “not alone in being alone” out there. Some are teens, just struggling with everyday life, many are singles in search of love, and still others desperately want to find someone else experiencing the same devastating circumstances they are living through, whether it be cancer, the loss of a child, or displacement after a natural disaster. In such cases, people put their hearts on their sleeves, as it were, and “send [their] S.O.S. to the world.” The plus side of blogs is that they are sometimes answered (as least there is a comment section for the possibility of an answer). There will always be some that just wash up on shore, going unnoticed, but the odds are definitely better, and the likelihood of the bottle breaking or water damaging the message is significantly less. =)

So, what does this have to do with anything? Well… nothing, really. Like I said earlier, I like to ramble. You may comment if you wish, otherwise this post can float, untouched, on the endless cyber sea. The subject line is a little misleading... this writer could care less whether or not a single soul reads it.

Beautiful

Lately I have not been the kind of person who sees the glass half full. Actually, I have been more of the kind of person you would want to avoid if you are already feeling rather low because I would only bring you further down. Today, however, began quite differently. I knew as I stepped out the door that I was headed for traffic (I heard about it on the radio), but figured there was really no shorter way to go (that was probably an incorrect assumption, considering how much time I spent at a stand-still). I opened the sun-roof, turned up the music and sat there… waiting. I looked to the east and noticed a distinctly pink hue in the sky. Moments later, a bright orange sun appeared at the horizon. It was absolutely breath-taking!

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair

When sorrow seems to surround you
When suffering hangs heavy oer your head
Know that tomorrow brings
Wholeness and healing
God knows your need
Just believe what He said

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair

I once was lost but God has found me
Though I was bound I’ve been set free
I’ve been made righteous in His sight
A display of His splendor all can see
~ Crystal Lewis

Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

From an aesthetic perspective, it was amazing! The cinematography was gorgeous, the scenery spectacular, and the CGI seamlessly incorporated, providing the audience with views that could probably never be seen on earth (at least not by the average person). There were two shots that I particularly liked. The first (or was it the second? Now I can't remember the order… oh, well) was an arial view of the Black Pearl sailing on a tranquil, black sea, studded with the reflection of stars. The other was the Black Pearl sailing in some arctic region into a cave. The sunlight is streaming in from the audience's left, through a break in the ice, and the ship sails through the sunlight into the shadows. As cold as it looked, I almost wished I could be on board the ship to experience that place in real life.

The dialogue was also much better than it was in Pirates II (of course, there was little dialogue to speak of in Pirates II). Some of the arguments between Jack and Barbossa were pretty funny (Jack: Captain gives orders on the ship. Barbossa: The Captain of this ship is giving orders! Jack: [thinking] My ship, makes me captain! Barbossa: They be my charts! Jack: That makes you... Chart-man!). I also enjoyed the short interchange (notice, I did not say dialogue) between Jack and his father (Jack: How's Mum? Captain Teague: [holds up a shrunken head] Jack: she looks good.). My favorite line: "a woman scorned, like which hell hath no fury than!" had me laughing, but no one else seemed to get the humor in Jack's creative rendition of William Congrave's line from The Mourning Bride.

I think the characters were much better developed in general. Will trades in his dreamy-eyed optimism for hard-core utilitarian realism. His goal is no longer just to "get the girl" but also to free his father from an eternity of slavery. He has come a long way from his "aye, avast!" days. Jack does not even recognize the new Will. When he asks "have you come because you need my help to save a certain distressing damsel? Er... rather damsel in distress? Either one," he takes the "no" response as proof he is dreaming... or halucinating.

As I have said before, the score for this movie is fabulous! I am listening to it right now - can't get enough of it!

The comedy aspect of Pirates III gets high marks from me. I found much of it very amusing. Witty Jack pulled through on his one-liners:

Close your eyes and pretend it's all a bad dream. That's how I get by.
Cruel is a matter of perspective.
Permit me to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket.
You add an agreeable sense of the macabre to any delirium.
Shoot him, cut out his tongue, then shoot his tongue!

My favorite character, however, was Jack, the "un-dead monkey." He is just so cute from begining to end! From little Singaporean organ grinder, to pulling a gun on the parrot, to being "daddy's little boy," he was always good for a laugh.

Now for the cons... unfortunately, I must take issue with what seemed like an underlying political agenda. The first scene was trying to too hard to be Gitmo (the Guantanamo Bay detainee camp). I probably would not have even made the connection immediately if the phrase "aiding and abetting" (directly from the Patriot Act) had not been in there. There were just too many characaturizations in that first scene. As the movie continues, the audience is shown the importance of protecting all ways of life, even at great expence (i.e. the lives of all the British soldiers), even if this way of life hurts all the law-abiding citizens of the world. There is no consequence for wrong (except in the case of Beckett) and those who lie, cheat, and steal as a way of life are the reigning heros at the end of the movie. Obviously, when you go to see a movie where Johnny Depp plays a pirate, you expect to root for a pirate, but (I don't know, maybe it's just me) I still expect there to be a line of distinction drawn between the "good" pirates and "bad" pirates (like it was portrayed in the first movie).

Overall, would I recommend this movie? Absolutely! Just understand what you're watching. Artistically and for the entertainment value, I would definitely recommend it.

Pirates III

Considering it just came out last night, it's not like I've had a whole lot of time to run out and see Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. However, I have been reading the reviews (I don't want another bitter disappointment like last year - I'd rather have a heads up so my expectations are lowered in advance). After many reviews, I'm expecting a repeat of Pirates II. Of course, I will go to see it anyway... probably this weekend (I went to see Dead Man's Chest a second time even though I hated it the first), but hey, I also have a larger-than-life poster of Orlando Bloom hanging in my closet (did I just say that out loud? Oh. No, I only wrote it - whew, that was a close one!). I am really just a fan of Captain Jack Sparrow... I can't help myself. =P Besides, I have been listening to the Amazon sampler of the soundtrack... I would go to see the movie just for that! The new themes are great!

Some of the reviews were very funny! My favorite comment was about death as portrayed in the Pirates trilogy, found in a blog:

dying in the Pirates of the Caribbean world is sort of like being audited by the IRS: Sure, it's a drag, but as long as you talk to the right people and pony up the loot, it'll be over with soon enough.

Another funny one was an explanation provided by Movies.com:

Lord Cutler Beckett has control of Davy Jones' heart, which sounds sort of gay when you're just reading about it, but it's not — the heart's in a box.

Here a couple of great Captain Jack quotes from Pirates II (getting into the mindset =]):

You want you to find this. Because the finding of this finds you incapacitorially finding and/or locating in your discovering, a detecting of a way to save your dolly belle, ol' wha's-her-face. Savvy?

You can mistrust me less than you can mistrust him, trust me.

Yup, I'm good wiv it! (Jack on giving Will to Davy Jones in his place)

Look what I got! [sing-song.] I got a jar of dirt! I got a jar of dirt! And guess what's inside it!!!

I was nothing more than an almost innocent bystander.

...and a few more review snippets for your entertainment:

Ultimately the voyage is so long that into the third hour I found myself yawning, 'Yo-ho-hum and a very sore bum.'

The plot’s a trippy, twisty mess, and it’s far too long, but it looks fantastic and makes some bold choices in its execution. And once again Jack’s back to save the day.

So many plots, so many battles, so many tonal shifts, so many characters, and ultimately so many Captain Jack Sparrows that it is clear they are hoping we won't notice that it really is something of a mess. It's a very entertaining mess, though.

Any movie that involves something called "the nine pieces of eight" doesn't really care if you can follow it.

The promised pictures (thanks to my dear co-worker and the use of her camera!)

Notice the sun-roof (that's why she's smiling).


How cute and sporty does she look from the back?!

I hung my little scented dolphin and flip-flop already (it just wouldn't be my car otherwise).

Congratulations to Jordin Sparks!!!

I knew she would pull through (see my March 21, 2007 post). =P

It's official

Baby is gone. *sniff*
I sold him (I was never quite sure of gender of my Chevy... somehow Baby seemed more masculine than feminine, despite the flower steering wheel cover, dolphin floor mats, and flip-flop scented things) last night. It was a pretty straight-foward transaction, thanks to Craigslist. I brought a girlfriend along because it didn't seem safe to meet some random man in the middle of the night all by myself. He tried to talk me down from the agreed-upon price, and I refused. He paid me cash, I signed over the title to him, and handed him the key. He promised to come and tow it away today, so we'll see what happens...

I kinda miss my baby... =(

The difference a day can make

Looking through this window pane
At the world nearby
I see nothing there but rain
Makes me want to cry
How did this circumstance find me
Hidden so safely here?
What have I done to deserve these tears?

Then again another day
Different point of view
Searching higher than before
This time I see You
How did this miracle find me?
Why do You know my name?
What have I done to deserve this love anyways?
You know I can’t say

Now I’m driving down the road
With great music on the radio
And a great big sun in the sky
It’s good to be alive
It’s good to be alive

Can the joy of life be found in simple gratitude?
And is gratitude as simple as perspective?
~ Twila Paris

This morning was the first time I was able to drive to work in my new car. The sun was rising (not enough to see it, but enough to turn the sky a soft shade of pink), and the world just seemed somehow brighter than it did last week when it everything falling down around me. This song came to mind, so I thought I'd post a couple of the verses. =)

It's a happy day!

Why I love "Bones"

The interchanges between these two are just so amusing! =)

Brennan: Did you know that there is credible theory that singing came before language?
Booth: Yeah, it’s called humming. Why are they sending us to a shrink?
Brennan: Maybe it’s because you keep hitting people.
Booth: Who’d I hit?
Brennan: My father.
Booth: Your father hit me first!
Brennan: You could have pulled out your gun and said, “stop in the name of the law.”
Booth: What am I, a Mountie? Maybe it’s because they think I need a rest from you.
Brennan: Physically or intellectually?
Booth: Ha-ha No. Neither of those. I can totally keep up with you. *Grunt* You are not what you’d call an easy woman.
Brennan: Thank you. Obviously.
Booth: No, I didn’t mean – you see? Do you see how much effort this is?
Brennan: You shouldn’t have taken out your frustrations with me not being “easy” on my father!
Booth: Look, I am sorry that I hit your father. But to be fair, he resisted arrest, and I thought hitting him was better than shooting. And if singing came before speech, what did they do, go la la la?
Brennan: No, because “la” is speech.
Booth: No. "La" is not a word. It's a sound. You can’t use it in Scrabble.
Brennan: In France “la” means “the.” You can use it in French Scrabble.
Booth: This is the USA. “La” is not a word, and this will never be France!
Silence
Brennan: *Sighs* Thank you for not shooting my father.
Booth: *Smiles* You’re welcome, Bones.

Sisters!

Whadya think, Sushi and Puddle Duck, did I pick out an accurate representation of each of us? =P

A Higher Trust

A dear friend of mine has recently published a book! I am SOOOO proud of her!!! Ever since I've known her, she has had a crazy sense of adventure and a love for her Savior. As she has grown up, she went through obsessions with NASA, the Civil Air Patrol, the Air Force, and the FBI. A Higher Trust (now available on Amazon.com) incorporates aspects of many of her loves and interests. I would recommend this book to anyone with an adventurous spirit (even if Christian fiction is not generally your genre of choice). Personally, I can't wait to get my own copy and get it signed by the author (Jennifer, you promised, remember?)!

CONGRATULATIONS, JENNIFER!!!

I HAVE a car - and it's a cute car

Sushi and Puddle Duck, the title of this post is for you. I figure you're the only ones who would get it anyway. =)

As they say, "you don't know what you've got till it's gone." I mean, I liked my Blazer, but I never really thought about how difficult life would be without it. I am so thrilled to have a car again! You'd think I went without for months, instead of 5 days. =P

This time around, I was determined to get a cute, little, sporty car. And that is exactly what I did! It's a white, Honda Accord coupe, with a sun roof and spoiler. The sun roof was a necessity. =P I know it's not a very practical thing, but every once in a while I enjoy being impractical. This is my third car, so each time I get a little closer to my ideal. As I told a number of people, what I would get (if I was willing to spend a lot more than I am willing to lay out for a car) is a royal blue mini Cooper with white racing stripes and a sun roof (talk about impractical!).

If I ever get another camera, or if I can get a friend to take pictures for me, I will post pics of my new baby... In the meantime, I need to name her. Any ideas? My first car was "Rosie. " My second car, I never officially named, but always called it "Baby." This one is definitely a girl, so it needs a feminine name. =P

Today's stream of conciousness

Anything too stupid to be said is sung.
~ Voltaire
*in my head* Yeah, I guess that's true... *playing on the radio* I'm blue. I'm in need of a guy, da dee dee da dee di, I'm blue. If I were green I would die, da dee dee da dee di... those are not even the right lyrics to that song. Oh, well. I am in need of a guy- I mean what girl isn't when she runs into car trouble? Well, I guess a girl who is mechanically inclined isn't. Hmmm... maybe I should just take some classes in car mechanics - wait, that doesn't sound right. Makes it sound like a class on guys who are mechanics, instead of a class on what makes a car work (or not work as the case may be). *radio drones on* Nothing’s true and nothing’s right, so let me be alone tonight. Cause you can’t change the way I am. Are you strong enough to be my man? *back to my thoughts* feeling like there's theme here... actually, no... the last one was my fault (lyric reconstruction), besides, I just need a car. That's all. Is that too much to ask for?! Also, I need to figure out what to do with my poor baby, still sitting at the repair shop.

What's a girl to do?!

Here's the dilemma...
On Monday, I sunk $600+ into my car (the radiator went, and it needed a couple of other things). On Tuesday, I drove 250 miles to work after visiting my family for the weekend, then my car broke down. I had it towed to a nearby shop (for another $105). Wednesday, I found out that it will cost approx. $800 to replace the fuel pump that apparently stopped working. The car is only worth $2,500 (when working). Do I get it fixed and sell it to try and recoup some of the money I put into it, or do I junk it and cut my losses? I'm leaning toward the former (at the moment), but what if something else goes wrong, or it ends up costing more than the estimated $800? I'm at a loss, and I hate making decisions. =(

I started singin’...

"Bye-bye, Miss American Pie."
Drove my Chevy to the levee,
But the levee was dry.
And good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die.
this’ll be the day that I die."

I didn't exactly drive my Chevy to the Levee. I drove it through several states in 4.5 hours. I stopped at a gas station across the street from where I work, but my poor little Chevy wouldn't start again, so I left it there, went to work, and called a tow truck to come get it. =(

Isn't that a sad story?

She started singin' "this’ll be the day that I die..."

Word to the wise...

Don't test a fountain pump in your bathroom sink. *sheepish smile*

The Lord is often more gracious than we deserve

If there was a theme to our vacation, that was it. You would think that since planning is pretty much what I do for a living, I would be better at it, but no. I try, but I am a procrastinator and it gets me every time. Throughout our trip I did stupid things that somehow always worked out in the end.

One of the dumbest things was to assume the French would speak English (after my trip to Italy, where I had little difficulty speaking to anyone, I thought all of Europe would be like Rome).

Upon arriving in Brest, we quickly learned that the French do not speak English, and getting around France might be little more difficult than we had anticipated (all of their signs are in French too).

It took us a while to find the car rental place because I did not bother to write down the address before I left (dumb mistake #2). I knew it was at the "gare" (railway station) and figured it would be easy to find. Once we found it (thanks to the assistance of a sweet young girl, who spoke some English), we waited for the one and only employee there to finish with the couple that had arrived before us. She was very slow and I was beginning to wonder if we were going to get the car in time to get back to the ship and get our luggage (that was all we needed was five days in France with no clothes!). Finally, she finished with them and turned to us... Well, while she was going through all the paperwork withthe first couple, I realized my driver's license was on the ship in one of my bags (dumbest mistake of all!). Now I had a real dilemma. If I went back to the ship to get my license, the Europecar would close while I was gone (everything in France shuts down from 12 to 3 - many places in Paris don't hold to that though), the shuttle bus service would stop, and we would have to drag all of our luggage from the ship to Europecar (a several mile walk uphill) and then wait for it to reopen at 3. I was FREAKING OUT! The Europecar lady did not speak much English at all, so it was interesting trying to explain the situation. I'm not sure why, but she accepted Puddle Duck's license instead. I'm pretty sure she was not supposed to do that, especially seeing as I was the only driver listed (anyone who knows Puddle Duck, knows there was no way on earth she was going to drive in a foreign country! She barely drives in her own hometown!). I was not about to question it though. I was just happy to get the car. I was going to ask for a map, but because of the language barrier, I didn't bother (mistake #4). We got in the car, started it up, and pulled out of the parking lot. However, it did not take long to realize something was very wrong. I knew the car was an automatic transmission (I had paid $100 extra for that), but I could not get it out of first gear. When we came to a red light, I looked down at the gear stick. It dawned on me that there were automatic cars that were not fully automatic (I had seen one when I was looking for my car). The light turned green, and I tested my theory. It worked. Yay! There was no clutch (thankfully), but I did have to do the gear shifting myself. The next hurdle was getting to the ship. As I already mentioned, we did not have a map. I am just so thankful that PD is a navigating wiz! She got us there no problem. After all that drama, we got our luggage and started on our way. Once again, the lack of map made things a little difficult. I am used to having a compass in the car, but out little Peugeot did not have one, and since it was just a little past noon, the sun wasn't much help either. Of course, even without a map and all the signs in French, PD came to the rescue! She got us to the main highway and we were soon seeing signs for Rennes (not our destination, but definitely in the right direction).

The drive was very nice. It took about 7 hours, total. The French countryside was beautiful; very country. There were open fields everywhere. The interesting thing about these fields is that most of them were bright yellow (as you can see in the picture above). Upon closer inspection, we found that these yellow fields were fields of flowers! Turns out it's Canola. We didn't know that at the time (I Googled it), so I was joking that only the French would cover half their country with flowers. =)

As we closed in on Paris, the first thing we saw was the Eiffel Tower. It's kind of amazing how you can see it from most places in the city. We drove along the river for a little bit, and then right up to the tower. We parked the car, got out and stretched, and checked out the Eiffel Tower (mistake #5). Before we knew it, the sun had set, it started to rain, and we still did not know where we would be spending the night. One of the few smart things I did was to print out a list of all the hostels in France. So, we found the closest one on the map (yes, we had a map of Paris - not a good one, but it was a map), and set out to find it. It took a lot to find the little hole-in-the-wall known as Friends Hostel. But finally, the flashing neon light came into view. I dropped PD off out front and circled the area, waiting to see if they had any open beds. just as I came around the block for the second time, a van pulled out of a parking spot directly in front of the hostel. I pulled in as PD was coming out with good news. We got a private room for the night! As usual, things were working out, despite my best efforts to mess it all up. ;-)