A game of lyrics

Naomi's FB post inspired me to do one of my own. It is amazing to see what kind of music has been hiding in your playlists until you play it on shuffle! Anyway, here goes. =)

Step 1: Put your music player on shuffle.
Step 2: Post the first line from the first 30 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing
Step 3: Strike through the songs when someone guesses both artist and track correctly.
Step 4: Don't look them up on Google or any other search engine (you cheater!).
Step 5: If you like the game, post your own.
Step 6: After a week, any songs left, I'll just post the answers

1. We were strangers, starting out on a journey, never dreaming what we’d have to go through
2. We’ve come so many miles through steep hills and valleys
3. When you feel the sunlight fade into the cold night
4. Two days chasing me around, I go crazy when you’re outside my world
5. Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?
6. Got the kinda face everyone knows
7. Oceans apart day after day and I slowly go insane
8. Our concentration - it contains a deadly flaw
9. Sometimes slowly time brings revelation
10: I got no money in my pockets, I got a hole in my jeans
11. She’s cold and she’s cruel, but she knows what she’s doing
12. Went back home again this sucks gotta pack up and leave again
13. Why do lovers drift apart and how does love fade away?
14. Closed off from love, didn’t need the pain
15. I – I sit in silence here, I'm filled with wonder once again
16. We have seen the light.
17. Good King Wensaslas looked out on the feast of Stephen
18. 90 miles outside Chicago, can’t stop driving, I don’t know why
19. I used close my eyes and the time would pass me by
20. I can show you the world, shining, shimmering, splendid
21. Down on my knees again tonight, hoping this prayer will turn out right
22. Got introduced to you by a friend – you were cute and all that – you set the trend
23. This is the way that I state my independence that I'm no longer connected to your memory
24. Staring at a maple leaf leaning on the mother tree
25. I followed all the rules, well, at least I'm trying
26. Wise men say only fools rush in
27. Take it all down, Christmas is over, do not despair, but rather be glad
28. I watch the western sky, the sun is sinking
29. Sonny came home to her favorite room
30. She stands through my shadow, she sees something more

P.S. I had to skip a few because they were instrumental only (no lyrics) and then I skipped all the Arabic lessons (thought you might appreciate that). =)

There's No Place Like Home...

So I'll drive as fast as I can go
Through the black night, black ice and all snow
Till I see some street signs that I know
I'm coming home!!!
~ Relient K

Granted, after living in this area for the past 7 years, all the signs are familiar, but there is a different kind of familiar to the landmarks near the town I grew up in - the town that will forever be "home." As soon as I get to the overpass on Staten Island that has the word "savior," written out in grafitti, I get that anxious feeling, as I cross the Verazanno Bridge and see the cityscape to my left, my heart begins to race, and when I finally see the green signs with white lettering, telling me that the next right will take me into my hometown, I can hardly contain my excitement. You would think that after all these years, it would lose its novelty, but it never does. As much as I love to travel and roam the world, there is just something about home that gives me a feeling no other place can. I guess it is the stablizing factor in my life. I have to admit that prefer the ride during the summer months - like when I go home for 4th of July or Labor Day. But it is always worth it, even when it means weathering extreme wind, sub-zero temperatures, snow, sleep deprivation, and other hardships. This week, however, is the craziest driving week I have done in a LONG time. After driving through the night on Thursday, I spent Friday-Sunday with my family. I left home at 0230 this morning and arrived at work by 0645. I am working today and tomorrow, and then back on the road Wednesday so that I can be home for Christmas this year. Last year was fun in its own way, but I am SO looking forward to being with my family and enjoying the fireplace, food, and fellowship (not quite in that order) at Grandma's house. So if you happen to be awake around 0300 on Wednesday morning, please say a prayer for my safe arrival home.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, ALL!!!

The Greatest Story Ever

While I was home this past weekend, my family and I chopped down our Christmas tree and decorated the house. I was busy stringing the lights around the tree, my attention completely consumed by the task at hand, as my little brother was behind me setting up the nativity scene. He was chattering all the while to no one in particular. I must confess, I was not paying too much attention, that is, until Mom came along and was not too happy about something. Apparently J. had put one of the wise men in the place usually occupied by Joseph. He tried to defend himself by asking Mom, "why do we always have to put everything in the same place every year?" I'm not sure if he really thought that would work with Mom, but if he did he was wrong. No one, however, answered his question. He and Mom both left the room, leaving me to continue stringing lights. As I worked on this task alone, I thought about J's question. It struck me that many people are asking the same question. Isn't that why the story gets told in many ways. People seem to think they can improve upon the story God wrote and they defend their "artistic license" with the same question. The reason we put up nativity scenes each year is to remind ourselves of the greatest story ever... of God becoming man so that man could be reconciled to God. It doesn't need pageantry or adornment - if anything, all that takes away from the truth, veiling it in the material. This is something that became very obvious to me last year in Iraq. We gathered in the chapel (an old, run-down building that was part of the base in Ramadi when it was run by Saddam's Army before we invaded). There was very little in there to remind one of the grand cathedrals or even the quaint, country churches. It was bare and rather dirty (as we all trekked mud in on our boots despite our best efforts not to)... yet I cannot think of a Christmas when the reason for celebrating was more real to me. We read through the scriptures and sang the hymns I've sung since I was very little, and as we ended with Silent Night, the lights were turned off and we all lit the candles we had been holding. I couldn't help but think that had to be so much closer to the real thing than anything I had ever done until then. In the desert, along the Euphrates, where the stars were bright overhead and the world was anything but peaceful, I felt like it must have a night like that when Christ came to earth. Regardless, my point is that we don't need to change the story in order to make it feel more real. If we are feeling a need for change, maybe it's time to tear down the veils we have constructed. When I really think about it, the story of that very first Christmas is enough to bring tears to my eyes. Along with the death and resurrection of our Savior, it will forever be the greatest story ever!

Thank God!

My co-worker emailed me Lincoln's first Thanksgiving Proclamation. I found it extremely interesting for a number of reasons. I did not realize that it was not an annual, national holiday until 1863. For some reason, when you are taught about the pilgrims and indians, it is just assumed that from then on, Americans (or colonists as the case may be) celebrated Thanksgiving every fourth Thursday in November. Apparently, that was not the case. Also, fascinating is the overt religious tones of the letter. As much as AHA and others would like to deny it, America was founded on biblical principles. Below is the proclamation in its entirety provided for your reading pleasure.

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

Word of the day: Tofurkey

This morning in the gym, I heard a newscaster use this word. She was apparently appalled by the video of Sarah Palin pardonning a turkey, while another one was being slaughtered right behind her (in full view of the camera).
I never understood the tradition of pardonning a turkey, but I do not see what the big deal is that the killing of a turkey wound up on a news station (and now all across the world on the internet!). It's not like it was a useless torture killing. The majority of Americans will be eating turkey next Thursday. We are not stupid people. We all know that those turkeys were once living, breathing creatures, and are now dinner.

As for the word tofurkey, it is real. I assumed she had made it up on the spot (guess I gave her too much credit). But I looked it up online and there are a number of websites selling tofurkey. If you are interested, there is even a Wikipedia entry. As interesting as tofurkey may be, I for one am looking forward to an authentic turkey dinner!

Thought of the day

A friend emailed this to me... it struck a chord with me, so I thought I would post it here.

God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you NEED. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be.

It kinda got me thinking... and I think it is true. Sometimes the people we want are the people we need, but there are people in my life (yes, even now) that I wish were not here, but in the grand scheme of things, I suppose I should be thankful. Either I need them, or they need me... and in both cases, I am exactly where God wants me to be. As a wise friend once told me, "the safest place to be is the center of God's will."

Random fact of the day

Yams and Sweet Potatoes are NOT the same. They are actually from two different plant families. Yams are naturally sweeter that Sweet Potatoes, and are generally much larger.

So, now you know. =)

"Why believe in a god?"

No. the lower-case "g" is not a mistake. This is the newest ad staring back at commuters as they ride the metro in the DC area. Below the question the ad goes on "Just be good for goodness' sake" as if that solves all the problems. However, the American Humanist Association (the group behind these ads) needs to go back to remedial logic classes. Without God, there is no standard of right and wrong. There is no good and evil. Our entire system of justice has been historically based on a Judeo-Christian foundation (i.e. the laws of God as they are found in the Bible). Without that foundation, the entire superstructure of our society crumbles. We now need to go back and define what "good" is. I once heard a philosopher say "in one civilization, the people love their enemies, in another, they eat their enemies." Which is right? Who are we to say which way is good? Can we really judge the cannibals - I mean, that is what they were taught from childhood. They obviously think it is right. Ok, enough with that... I think you get my point.

Now here is the kicker! The author of this article describes the ad, saying it has "a picture of a fake Santa Claus" as though there is such thing as a real Santa Claus! (granted, there was a real St. Nicolas back in the day, but I do not think that is who is being implied in that statement). So, let me get this straight, we should not have to "give credit to something that doesn't exist" (i.e. God), but we should believe in Santa Claus?! I am just glad we have our priorities in order! One thing is sure, my faith in the American people is definitely waning.

Standing on the promises...

This morning as I got up and checked to see what the final results were in yesterday's election, a feeling of foreboding took over. I was pretty sure I knew what to expect and already had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. The results were a little worse than I expected, but the outcome was the same. I went to gym and continued with my normal routine. Unfortunately, the TVs were on... the same thing over and over again... people cheering, screaming, laughing crying tears of joy. What can I say? I have never been a good loser. I was irritated and did not want to be happy for them. I headed to the shower, rather depressed and anxious to get away from the news reports, when a song popped into my head. It was hymn I learned as a child:

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

It got me thinking about God's promises. What are they? Well, one promise is that "He removes kings and sets up kings." (Daniel 2:21) God obviously has a plan for our new president and I suppose I need to keep trusting that God's will is perfect even when (especially when) I can't see the good in it.

Psalm 2
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Clinging to Romans 8:28

The lights go out all around me
One last candle to keep out the night
And then the darkness surrounds me
I know I'm alive but I feel like I've died
And all that's left is to accept that it's over
My dreams ran like sand through the fists that I made
I try to keep warm but I just grow colder
I feel like I'm slipping away

Here I am, at the end of me
Tryin to hold to what I can't see
I forgot how to hope
This night's been so long
I cling to Your promise
There will be a dawn

After all this has passed, I still will remain
After I've cried my last, there'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today,
Someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

~ Superchick, Beauty From Pain

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Next year in Iran

A year ago, my bags were packed, I was moved out of my apartment, and I was counting down the hours until take off. Once I got to my temporary duty station, I met a lot of great people and made quite a few friends (one, whom I've stayed close with, I met at the airport, before we even left). I left my first office (the best 6 weeks of my life... or close to it anyway) begrudgingly. I did not want to leave my newly-acquired friends, and I was not quite ready to face another unknown so quickly. One of the Navy guys there was always joking that we would all be back together in a year... only, in Iran the next time around. Of course, it was all in jest, but he kept saying it to comfort me as I left a place that had become my home like no other place has been since I left my family for college many years ago. "Next year in Iran!" It was somehow strangely comforting, and I think part of me almost believed it. As we head into another holiday season, I am beginning to feel out of place - like I don't belong here. I can't explain it, but I feel like I am supposed to over there... maybe not Iran, but Iraq, or Afghanistan, or... I don't know... somewhere in the world where our troops are deployed...

Where is "here"?

She feels lost in her own life
Treading water just to keep from slipping under
And she wonders if she's where she's supposed to be
Tired of trying to do it right
Her dreams are just too far away to see how steps she's making
might be taking her to who she'll be

And suddenly it isn't what it used to be
And after all this time it worked out just fine
And suddenly I am where i'm supposed to be
And after all the tears, I was supposed to be here

Trust is definitely not something I have an abundance of. I don't trust people, and sometimes I have a hard time trusting God. I can trust Him with the lives and circumstances of others, but not my own. I want to plan out my timeline (patience is also something I lack). Right now nothing I wanted for my life is going according to plan, and I just want it to all somehow make sense. As I was listening to "Suddenly," by Superchick, I was struck by the lyrics and thought, "exactly! That is how I feel right now... If only I could just skip all the in-between and figure out where "here" is..." I guess, in the end, I need a lesson in faith more than I need the other things I have been unsuccessfully chasing. I must confess though, it is a tough lesson to learn. I am so far from there (or "here" as the case may be).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GOOGLE!!!

Anyone who knows me, knows I am a HUGE Google fan. Initially, I was attracted to the name... when C. and I were little we used to argue (as sisters are wont to do) and it would go like this:
Me: is too
C: is not
Me: is too
C: is not times a million
Me: is too times a googol!
C: is not times infinity!
Of course, C. always won (that was pretty much a foregone conclusion anyway), but my point was that the concept of a number with 100 zeros was something I found intriguing as a child and the fact that it had a name was even cooler, so when Google the search engine came out, I used it because I liked the name and then quickly decided it was my favorite search engine, however, as time went on Google took on a life of its own. I was soon using Blogger, Picasa, Google Maps, Google Photos, and a number of their other applications. On one hand, it is kinda hard to believe that Google has been around for ten years already... on the other, it is hard to even remember what life was like pre-Google!

So, Google, here's to ten great years and wishing you many more. =P

Disturbing, but very funny!

I should probably be more disturbed than I am, but I am laughing too hard to take it at all seriously. Apparently PETA (people for the ethical treatment of animals) has sent a petition to Ben and Jerry's (yes, the ice cream company!), requesting them to switch to human breast milk, instead of cow's milk. Their reasoning is absolutely hysterical (except for the appeal to look at what they are doing in Switzerland - that was just SCARY!)... they even used the late Dr. Spock as an authority on the danger of cow's milk to children. It is a seriously FUNNY letter. You NEED to read it - oh, but one disclaimer first, you might want to wait if you are currently eating... it might make you sick. I know I was feeling a little queasy. Anyway, here it is, as posted on WPTZ.com:

September 23, 2008

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, Cofounders

Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc.

Dear Mr. Cohen and Mr. Greenfield,

On behalf of PETA and our more than 2 million members and supporters, I'd like to bring your attention to an innovative new idea from Switzerland that would bring a unique twist to Ben and Jerry's.

Storchen restaurant is set to unveil a menu that includes soups, stews, and sauces made with at least 75 percent breast milk procured from human donors who are paid in exchange for their milk. If Ben and Jerry's replaced the cow's milk in its ice cream with breast milk, your customers-and cows-would reap the benefits.

Using cow's milk for your ice cream is a hazard to your customer's health. Dairy products have been linked to juvenile diabetes, allergies, constipation, obesity, and prostate and ovarian cancer. The late Dr. Benjamin Spock, America's leading authority on child care, spoke out against feeding cow's milk to children, saying it may play a role in anemia, allergies, and juvenile diabetes and in the long term, will set kids up for obesity and heart disease-America's number one cause of death.

Animals will also benefit from the switch to breast milk. Like all mammals, cows only produce milk during and after pregnancy, so to be able to constantly milk them, cows are forcefully impregnated every nine months. After several years of living in filthy conditions and being forced to produce 10 times more milk than they would naturally, their exhausted bodies are turned into hamburgers or ground up for soup.

And of course, the veal industry could not survive without the dairy industry. Because male calves can't produce milk, dairy farmers take them from their mothers immediately after birth and sell them to veal farms, where they endure 14 to17 weeks of torment chained inside a crate so small that they can't even turn around.

The breast is best! Won't you give cows and their babies a break and our health a boost by switching from cow's milk to breast milk in Ben and Jerry's ice cream? Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Tracy Reiman

Executive Vice President

OCS anyone?

Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem. ~ President Ronald Reagan

I'm thinking it might just be time to join "The few. The proud. The Marines."

Change is in the air

I can sense it. It is hard to describe, but I know it from experience. It is something I have felt before. I don't know how long it will take or what form it will come in, but I am pretty sure my life is about to be turned on its head again. It's time. I get bored if things stay the same for too long. "Status quo" is not a sphere I am comfortable in. I am happiest in the realm of the unknown - the realm of possibilities. The changes I wanted and expected are not happening, but I am ok with that. I am just keeping my eyes open for a new opportunity. And who knows... it may turn out to be something I fall into and nothing I plan for at all. I am ok with that too. I don't really care how it gets here; I am satisfied just in knowing that it is on its way.

My Only Hope

I am a bit of a Relient K fan (ok, fanatic might be a better word to describe me) and have been listening to some of their songs on Playlist.com (my all-time favorite website... well, maybe second to Google =]) and came across the song entitled, "When I go Down." I had not heard it before yesterday, but decided immediately that I really like the lyrics... they fit how I often feel. Here are some of the words (approx. half of the song):

Any control I thought I had just slips right through my hands
While my ever-present conscience shakes its head and reprimands me
Reprimands me
Then and there
I confess
I'll blame all this on my selfishness
Yet you love me
And that consumes me
And I'll stand up again
And do so willingly

You give me hope, and hope it gives me life
You touch my heavy heart, and when you do you make it light
As I exhale I hear your voice
And I answer you, though I hardly make a noise
And from my lips the words I choose to say
Seem pathetic, but it's fallen man's praise
Because I love you
Oh God, I love you
And life is now worth living
Only because of you
And when they say that I'm dead and gone
It won't be further from the truth

When I go down
I lift my eyes to you
I won't look very far
Cause you'll be there
With open arms
To lift me up again
To lift me up again

~ Relient K

Fall has arrived

Have you ever noticed how seasons often change in a day (at least in this part of the country)? This morning there was a definite change in the air. It was crisp and cold... but I think what really did if for me was the destinct smell of dying leaves. Leaves have a certain smell to them when they first fall from the trees and begin to dry up. They also have a different smell in the Spring (if you, like I, wait until then to rake them up) when they have been sitting around, rotting all winter. I know I am very strange about smells, but ever since I can remember, I have always been very sensitive to scents, and associated people, places, and events with specific smells. When I was painting my room, I was using a drop cloth that I borrowed from Grandma. As soon as I spread it out, the scent of wood, paint, and diesel fuel filled my room, and memories of working with Grandpa in his garage flooded my mind. Tommy Boy cologne will always bring me back to my first restaurant job and the cute, Dominican, waiter who was always hanging around the hostess' desk. And, of course, the smell of salt air will always make me think of home. Well, enough with my random digressions... I am going to Starbucks to enjoy one of the few things I love about fall... Pumpkin Spice Lattes!

General Update

Life is insane. It is official. All summer I have been running around (limited to travel withing the continental US, but running nonetheless). I have one more weekend booked and then I think I have some chill time coming up (of course, that could change at a moment's notice). I have lived in my "new" apartment for over 5 months now and FINALLY just got around to painting my room this past weekend (it looks FABULOUS, btw). Next up is the bathroom. That is NOT going to be fun since whoever did it last must have been drunk at the time. It needs to be sanded down and all that. It should take a little while. Plus, I have to be careful not to get paint on the tiling around the shower.

Along with painting, I also spent my weekend gallavanting around NYC and going to a Switchfoot/Third Day/Jars of Clay concert in NJ. You may ask "how does she do it?" What can I say, some people are just born AWESOME! =P I will post pictures as soon as the internet comes back up in my apartment. I don't know what the deal is...? it has been all kinds of jacked up since Saturday.

I ran a 10k with my roommate... it took me an hour, which I did not think was bad (for a self-proclaimed non-runner), but I did come in 46th out of 55 (thank you, Air Force! Someone's gotta pull up the rear! =]).

This week I begin Arabic classes, paint all the molding in my room and hopefully start on the bathroom. I have a flag football game on Saturday morning and a wedding that afternoon (I'm hoping to escape without any bruises so I can look all cute in my sexy little black dress). Besides that, I don't think I have anything else going on. I plan to spend more time with my guitar as I have neglected it a little this last week. I am also going to make dinner at least one night this week. My roommate has been doing better than I have with the whole cooking thing lately. It's just hard... with all that has been going on, food is not a priority. I have learned that protein shakes are a girl's best friend. =P

And there you have it... an update on my life. =)

Be careful what you wish for!

As a caveat going into this story, I was a rather naive child and often wished for stupid things, innocently desiring adventure in my own life, not tragedy in the lives of others.

I grew up watching old black and white movies, many of which were set during WWI, WWII, or the Great Depression. Of course, we all know how Hollywood romanticizes everything. As child, I don't think I realized this. I wanted so much to live through a war and a depression. I so admired the people who survived those times and I wanted the chance to prove I could do it too. I remember being really excited during Desert Storm - I was all of 10 years old and glued to the TV screen. When images of the POWs began to flash on the screen, my view of war changed. The reality of it finally hit me. People get hurt and people die. War is not simply a good setting for a grand adventure. When the next war in Iraq started, I was older and could actually understand the implications. I wanted so much to go over there and be a part of it, and thankfully, had the opportunity to do that. What I didn't realize going into it was how much more real the war would become to me. The places they talk about on the news are places I have seen - I worshiped in those chapels, ran on those streets, worked out in those gyms, ate in those DFACs - they are REAL places. And the people are real too - everyone from the Ugandans who worked checkpoint security, to the KBR employees, the Iraqi police, and the American Soldiers. Suddenly, when I got news reports of bombings, it was no longer a question of numbers for me, but of names. Who was it? Did someone I know just die over there?!

This morning, as I scanned news articles to see what I had missed over the crazy weekend, I saw headlines with phrases like "Black Sunday" and instantly thought of my childhood wish to live through a "great depression." Now that I understand what a depression is and does, I seriously hope it doesn't get anywhere near there. As I read the articles, I could help but think I ought to be more careful about what I wish for because sometimes those wishes come true. Maybe someday I will learn to think about others before I start wishing for a tragedy... or better yet, maybe I will just not wish for tragedy at all. I really have to wonder sometimes, what is WRONG with me?! Right now I am just praying that the current economic downturn will turn around and will not hurt too many people in the process.

We Will Never Forget

We will not waver; we will not tire; we will not falter; and we will not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail... May God continue to bless America.   ~ President Bush

It is amazing to me that seven years have passed. I remember it so vividly... it hardly seems possible that that much time could have gone by so quickly.  I had no idea how much those events would change my life.  The changes came slowly for me. I did not lose anyone that day (though I did not know that until very late that night - the cell towers on top of the WTC went down and the landlines were jammed as the 12 million people of NYC tried to contact their loved ones). The first change I noticed was increased security at the airport when I went home for Thanksgiving (something we have since grown accustomed to). The second change was the skyline of my beloved city... Thanksgiving was my first time home after the attack and it was the first time I saw the gaping hole. While still in the plane, I could see the smoke still rising eternally upward (it is amazing how long a fire like that can burn!).  Soon after that I changed my major in school and some of my friends started enlisting in the Army and Marine Corps. Last year I was able to spend several months in Iraq, helping to put terrorists and insurgents behind bars. While there, I met many Soldiers and Marines who had deployed to Iraq multiple times (some Soldiers were on their third tour, having spent more than 3 years in the sand box!). When I think of 9/11, yes, I remember how many people lost their lives that day, but I also pray for the men and women who are still fighting for our freedom in places far from home, lacking the comforts we are so used to and often take for granted. I don't even know half of what our military has had to endure over there. My experience was fairly tame and was limited to the FOB. My life was never in danger, and I suffered very few inconveniences in comparison with what the guys in the field go through. I have so much love and respect for our armed forces. I met some of the greatest people during my time in Iraq. I am so thankful for all they do for us and will NEVER forget their sacrifice! While I am often disappointed and ashamed by the words and actions of our elected officials, especially during election season, the men and women I worked with, worshiped with, and "jammed out" with in Iraq make me proud to be an American! To all the U.S. Armed Forces who have deployed and returned, are currently deployed, or are getting ready to deploy, and especially to those who have paid the ultimate price, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Another Summer draws to a close...

Every year, my girlfriends and I spend the weekend after Labor Day at the beach. It is a tradition that began during our college days, and continues to be a time we all look forward to. At the same time, it marks the end of my favorite season. I try to make the most of it, capturing the gorgeous weather in pictures, knowing that it will be several very LONG months before I will be lying on the beach, feeling the warmth of the sun on my back...

As is my own personal tradition, I walked along t he beach at sunrise each morning, enjoying the solitude - only the sound of the seagulls and crashing waves to keep me company.

Despite the visit of Hanna (I think she was down-graded to a tropical storm by the time she hit us), both mornings were tranquil and beautiful!

Even the gulls did not seem to be preparing for the crazy storm that blew in hours later.

Great quote

Brought to you by the NYT (of all papers!):

To any critics who say a woman can't think and work and carry a baby at the same time, I'd just like to escort that Neanderthal back to the cave. ~ Sarah Palin

Despite the obvious reference to evolutionary theory, my inner feminist cheered when I read this in the New York Times article about Sarah Palin. I am so impressed with her!

Good lyrics (even if the music is like nails on a chalkboard!)

One of my coworkers made me listen to The Fightin' Side of Me, by Merle Haggard today (truth be told, I had never heard of Merle Haggard before today). And while I cannot abide the sound of twangy, country music (and barely made it through the less than 3 minutes of said song), I have to say that this 1970s song, written during the Vietnam War, is one I whole-heartedly agree with:

I hear people talkin' bad,
About the way we have to live here in this country,
Harpin' on the wars we fight,
An' gripin' 'bout the way things oughta be.
An' I don't mind 'em switchin' sides,
An' standin' up for things they believe in.
When they're runnin' down my country, man,
They're walkin' on the fightin' side of me.
Yeah, walkin' on the fightin' side of me.
Runnin' down the way of life,
Our fightin' men have fought and died to keep.
If you don't love it, leave it:
Let this song I'm singin' be a warnin'.
If you're runnin' down my country, man,
You're walkin' on the fightin' side of me.

I read about some squirrely guy,
Who claims, he just don't believe in fightin'.
An' I wonder just how long,
The rest of us can count on bein' free.
They love our milk an' honey,
But they preach about some other way of livin'.
When they're runnin' down my country, hoss,
They're walkin' on the fightin' side of me.

Yeah, walkin' on the fightin' side of me.
Runnin' down the way of life,
Our fightin' men have fought and died to keep.
If you don't love it, leave it:
Let this song I'm singin' be a warnin'.
If you're runnin' down my country, man,
You're walkin' on the fightin' side of me.

And America rejoices... or should anyway

Our military gets a break for once! In the case of Jose Nazario, a civilian jury acquitted the former-Marine of manslaughter after only 6 hours of deliberations.

In the first civilian trial in modern times of a former member of the U.S.military for alleged combat crimes, a Riverside jury Thursday acquitted a one-time Marine sergeant in the killings of four unarmed Iraqi prisoners in Fallujah. (click here for full article)

I have to say, I am shocked. I did not expect it turn out this way, especially in CA of all places!

Justice was finally served today. I want the same justice for every Marine, sailor, and soldier serving in harm's way. ~ Nazario, after his acquittal

Sarah Palin for VEEP

I could not be more surprised, but I am actually excited. I need to look into her record as Alaska's gov., but I'm kinda thinking she might be just what McCain needed to get Republicans excited about voting this year.

Click here to read the NYT story.

Just say it

There are so many times when I see a random stranger and think to myself "I like her hair," or "that dress is really flattering on her," or any number of complimetary thoughts. I never say anything to the person. Often, I do not even acknowledge their presence. Today, however, I had a sudden epiphony that the world might be a better place if everyone just said the nice things they think about others. A woman came up to me today and gave me a compliment that seriously made my day. That was what got me thinking about all of this. It is amazing what a few kinds words from a stranger can do!

So... next time I think a compliment about a stranger, I think I am just going to go ahead and say it. ;-)

on work ethics and accountability

After sitting through the torture that is NSPS training, my co-workers learned some things about me and I learned some lessons (or maybe was just reminded about old lessons) on human nature.
Growing up, I had always heard that government employees made a lot of money. Of course, it was really just in comparison to what my family had. I knew we didn't have much and so did not think too much about it. Now that I am older and see exactly what government employees make, I am amazed - truly! What amazes me even more are the complaints. I believe whole-heartedly in the concept of an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. My personal opinion is that for the type and amount of work required, the government is more than fair (quite liberal, actually). What my co-workers quickly learned about me is that I would make a very tough supervisor. I do not expect any more from others than I expect from myself. I think that people who go above and beyond definitely deserve to be recognized, but I do NOT believe in patting people on the back for doing what is expected of them! In school, I often got perfect attendance awards... I always thought that was dumb. I rarely get sick... so I should be praised for going to school when I am in perfect health?! I still feel the same. I come into work every day and do the work I am paid to do. I do NOT expect recognition for that! I don't know... I just don't get it. =/
What I observed in the classroom setting today is that people do not want to be accountable to others. They want to be recognized and rewarded, but on their own terms. Don't they realize that accountability only hurts the slackers? Or maybe that is the problem... they know themselves better than anyone (just a thought...). I'm beginning to wonder if our society has focused so much on ego self esteem to the detriment of self-respect and a strong work ethic. We can't even handle criticism. If the truth hurts we don't want to hear it. And if if is going to negatively affect our paychecks, we want nothing to do with it.
When the class was over, I was rather annoyed with the fact that I had wasted two days and learned nothing new, but more than that, I was disappointed in what I saw in my fellow classmates. What ever happened to the days of having to prove oneself... of working hard for one's paycheck, and competing (in a good, capitalist kind of way) for promotions and such?

It just takes a little determination

Maybe I am just a littl messed up, but read the sentence below and tell me what your first impression is.

Two of the detainees — Ali Abdulla Ahmed, from Yemen (DOB Aug. 1, 1979) and Mana Shaman Allabard al Tabi of Saudi Arabia (DOB Jan. 1, 1976) — were determined to be dead at the scene. (full article)

When I first read it, I thought it was saying the detainees died by sheer will-power. Of course, that didn't make any sense, so I reread the sentence. It was obvious the second time, that the writer was saying third party came to check the check the status of the detainees and concluded that they were in fact dead. Still, if I was the author, I would have phrased it differently.

Safe

Knowing clouds will raise up
storms will race in
but you will be safe in my arms
rains will pour down
waves will crash all around
but you will be safe in my arms

Castles they might crumble
dreams may not come true
but you are never all alone
because I will always
always love you
~ Plumb

I was having a rough day last week... seemed like nothing was going quite right, so I turned on the radio and started cleaning my room. The song In My Arms by Plumb came on the Christian station I had on (see lyrics above). I had never heard it before, but I found it very comforting, and more importantly, it was a great reminder to me that I can trust God in the little things because He has always been faithful to me in the big things. I do not think there was a single time while I was in Iraq that I feared for my life. It was like I could feel His presence around me, protecting me. Now that I am back in the States, I think I often forget that He is still always near me, watching over me and keeping me safe in His arms.

Midnight moon in the desert

I'm not sure how well you can make out this picture, but it is a full moon over a palm tree in Ramadi. I was wandering around the FOB on New Year's Eve of last year, when I saw this (and of course, had to take a picture).

Quote of the Day

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.
~ Alexander Graham Bell

No place is truly "God-forsaken"

As night falls on Forward Operating Base Rustamiyah silence and darkness covers the FOB. This assists the FOB to remain tactically quiet and unseen throughout the night. However, if you listen closely through the constant running of generator motors and air conditioning units you can hear a melodic sound off in the distance. (click here for full article)

In Rustamiyah, there is apparently a group of soldiers, who have formed a band (of sorts) and play Christian music to lift the spirits of the men and women serving there. As I read this article it reminded me of my time in Ramadi... I'm thankful that there are still guys like Maz over there, getting people together to play music, boost morale, and most importanly, praise the Lord. =)

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed... ~ II Corinthians 4:8-9

Picture of the day

This is a picture I took in Kuwait while I was outprocessing, on my way back to the States... As much as I love the US, I miss the Middle East... *sigh* Maybe someday I will go back, but not any time soon (for which my family and friends are thankful).

Remembering Baghdad

The Mosque on Camp Victory


Sunset over the BIOP from Camp Victory


The Perfume Palace on Camp Slayer


Sunset from a watchtower on Camp Slayer

I have been reading about the increase violence in Baghdad lately and it makes me so sad. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been (I know many soldiers and Marines who would like to argue with me on that point) and yet is an city of such poverty too - poverty such as the US has never known. Granted, I was inside the wire during my entire stay in that city, and so did not see most of the ugliness that is present there. Instead, I cam home with beautiful pictures of Sadam's palaces and playgrounds. Despite being awoken at ridiculously early hours at the sound of bomb blasts (actually, I think it was the violent shaking of my bed that woke me), I will always have fond memories of my short time in Baghdad.

So thankful for all my friends

Lately, I have just been amazed at how richly God has blessed me with friends. The older I get, the more spread out across the world they seem to be... but the distance (while I would love to erase it altogether) can never seperate true friends. It seems that no matter what I am going through, it is never as bad as it could have been because I have the support of so many people who truly love me. So, to all my dear friends world-wide, THANK YOU! I love you all so very much. =)

To kill or not to kill...

I love this country and the men and women who fight for her. What I don’t like are the many news stories that try to make our heroes out to be the “bad guys.” Yes, they are human, and they make mistakes from time to time. What I don’t get is the lack of gratitude I sense from the liberal media here. I am so thankful to each and every one of the men and women who have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan because I know that while they are fighting the enemy over there, I am safer here. I've seen many of our guys over there in their element. I've seen the dumb things they do to keep themselves amused while waiting for the next mission. I've come face to face with the egos of guys who actually kinda deserve to have big egos. And I've seen the commitment of guys who don’t necessarily agree with this war or the decisions of the current administration. Unlike our extremist enemies, our guys do not go over there with a desire for martyrdom. They hope to return to the USA in one piece. However, they join the armed forces, knowing that they might be called upon to pay the ultimate price.

I have been reading Lone Survivor, by Marcus Luttrell. It is the story of a SEAL team in Afghanistan in 2005. It is a rather incredible story, but I can’t help but think that if not for the bleeding-heart liberals and their friends, the U.S. media, 19 men would still be alive. I just don’t understand… we train young men to fight and kill, and then put restrictions on how and when, while the enemy has no such rules of engagement. We put them in a terrible situation and ask them to make impossible decisions. What ever happened to chevaunchee - total war? War was never meant to be a gentleman’s game. There was a time when anything went. Isn't that how we got the phrase “all’s fair in love and war”? Not anymore. Now we fight according to the "rules," while the enemy kills us by any means possible. And what gets me more than anything, is that even after we fight “fair” and capture and try an enemy in a court of law, the liberals STILL complain.

Going back to Lone Survivor, there were a couple of quotes that really spoke to this topic. At one point, several goat herders crossed paths with the SEAL team. The team had to make a decision about what to do with these guys. The following is the rationale used by one of the members:

If we kill these guys we have to be straight about it. Report what we did. We can’t sneak around this. Just so you all understand, their bodies will be found, the Taliban will use it to the max. They’ll get it in the papers, and the U.S. liberal media will attack us without mercy. We will almost certainly be charged with murder. ~Mike Murphy

I think it is sad that our soldiers have to think like that. It is decisions made like that that cost us lives. After things went badly, Marcus, the “lone survivor” reflects on how that decision has affected him and will continue to affect him for the rest of his life:

No night passes when I don’t wake in a cold sweat thinking of those moments on that mountain. I’ll never get over it. I cannot get over it. The deciding vote was mine, and it will haunt me till they rest me in an East Texas grave. ~Marcus Luttrell

The media can continue to bash the Bush administration all they want, but they should know this at least: they are not guiltless in the war; they also have blood on their hands.

My New Digs

Here are the promised pictures...




Gotta say, I feel like I am livin in style now! =P I just wish I had taken before pictures so everyone could appreciate the amazing transformation.

Bejing 2008: The Opening Ceremony

Impressive. That is the first word that comes to mind when asked to describe the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics. It was definitely the best I have ever seen! I sat mesmerized for an hour at the sheer artistry, innovation, ability, and extravigance displayed on the screen before me. I was literally awe-struck from the very beginning with the opening drums, and could not help but think as I watched 2,008 Chinese men all beating their drums in perfect synchronization, I hope we never go to war with China. I would not want to oppose and adversary with a seemingly inexhaustable supply of human resources, and one that can be so disciplined. It was actually a little scary. What amazed me the most was the "over-the-top-ness" of it all. Everything was done on such a grand scale. It was never a couple of this or a few of that, but thousands - a TV screen that covered the ceiling, projecting awe-inspiring images of massive whales, swimming through the ocean and the like - thousands of women, in intricately-designed costumes! It was like nothing I have ever seen before, and I will be surprised if any country will be able to rival it.

"It don't Gitmo better!"

Ok, this is one of the most MESSED UP things I have read in a while (and figures it takes place in my favorite state: NY!). Coney Island amusement park has a new attraction that involves a man in a black hood, an orange jumpsuit, and water. Yup, you guessed it. It's called the " Waterboard Thrill Ride." What is WRONG with people?! I just don't get it...

So much to do... so little time...

I have been a rather sporadic blogger, I know. But unless I make a concerted effort to write a new post, it just doesn't happen. Work has been busy (thankfully!), and although life outside of work doesn't seem particularly exciting lately, the days still pass by quickly. I can't figure out where the time goes...?
In any case, here is a quick run-down of what I have been up to:

• Practicing my new guitar - this takes up the majority of my free time
• Running/working out in the gym - most of this is done in the wee hours of the morning (what some might call the "cri-z-z-z-ack of dawn!")
• Reading - I pretty much only read while on the eliptical these days
• Playing with N's Mac - I keep saying I am going to get a MacBook, but I want to make sure it does everything I am looking for in a laptop (I am VERY impressed with it!)
• Baking - my officemates always appreciate that one... =P
• Laundry - it seems like the more I work out, the more often I have to do laundry
• Reading/watching the news - preparing for the upcoming oral boards
• Checking out USAJobs.com (in case the oral boards don't go so very well -always gotta have a backup plan!) ;-)
• Hanging with friends - only really on weekends, but my weekends are BOOKED for like the next month and a half!

So, yeah... that's my life in a nutshell.

Oh, in other news... The landscaping in our front yard was just finished the other day, so I will post a picture as soon as I find batteries for my camera (or I recharge the ones currently in the camera). It actually looks nice... nothing like the jungle it was!

The new love of my life!

"When the heart speaks, the mind finds it indecent to object." ~ Milan Kundera

It is quite interesting - the story of how we met... I will try my best to describe it here, but I'm not sure words will do this meeting justice. I'm not normally a spontaneous person, but maybe I need to re-think that because I have done a number of things this past year that definitely qualify as "spontaneous" (e.g. joining a rock band). Come to think of it, most it has revolved around music... hmmm... But I digress.

It all began Wednesday night with a broken "A" string on my guitar. Unlike most professionals, I replace each string as they break, rather than replacing them all when one breaks. So, I went into my stash of strings... 2 E, 2 B, 2 G, no D, NO A!!! WHAT IN THE WORLD?!?! How do I NOT have another A string? I was quite upset because it was too late at night to go out string shopping and besides that I have always bought anything guitar-related in NY. I didn't even know where the nearest music store was around here! Of course, like any intelligent girl of the 21st century, I Googled "music stores," which didn't really return the results I was looking for. I tried again, using the keyword "guitar." BINGO! There was a guitar shop about 5 miles from my apartment. I went there last night, right after work. I had a little difficulty finding it at first since it is a bit of a hole-in-the-wall. But I was impressed the moment I set foot inside the store. There were guitars hanging EVERYWHERE! I mean, BEAUTIFUL guitars! The two men inside were very helpful. I told them what I needed and they got it for me. It was all quite easy and painless. As he was ringing me up, I had to start asking questions about their guitars (I can't help it!). Well, we got to talking, and one thing led to another... He pulled out an Epiphone, and that was it. I was gone! Growing up, Dad always played an accoustic Epiphone... I guess the happy childhood memories of dancing on the porch while Dad played probably has something to do with my affinity for Epiphones. But whatever it was, I knew I was in love. I had no choice. I had to have it. So I bought it. Ten minutes later, I walked out of that little hole-in-the-wall store with accoustic guitar strings and my first real electric guitar, complete with a hard case! It was definitely the least thought out purchase I have ever made in my life, but I'm not sure I have ever bought anything for myself that has made me happier.

I'm still in shock. I played it all last night, but in the morning when I woke up, the first thing I did was look over at where I had left it sitting to make sure I had not dreamed the whole thing up. I opened the case and gazed in awe at my beautiful instrument. Yup. It's really here and it's really mine! =P

National Cheesecake Day celebration...

I mean there really is only one way to celebrate National Cheesecake Day and that is to eat cheesecake! So, like good little citizens, N. and I made our way to the Cheesecake Factory last night. We waited on the long line up to the hostess desk only to be told that we would have to wait another hour and a half. We, however, did not let this little setback stop us. We went shopping at the nearby Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn. When we went back to pick up one of those little buzzer things that let you know when your table is available, N. found an open table at the bar, so our wait was not that bad after all. =) Actually, it was kinda funny... just as we were paying the bill, the buzzer went off (it would have been a 1 hour and 45 minute wait if N. hadn't found that table for us!). Oh, and did I mention that the cheesecake was only $1.50 a slice?! Yeah... it was a good day. =)

Actually, you are wrong, but don't let me keep you from your ignorance...

One of the many things that drives me crazy is when people use quotes out of context. I mean, really! If you try hard enough you can use other people's word to prove just about any point. I see this done with the Bible all the time. Lately, though, I have heard several people use the same quote and each time they used it to mean the same thing - not what the author meant however. The quote I am referring to is "Ship's passing in the night," from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Solitude. People seem to use the phrase to talk about failing to connect with someone (e.g. an older woman comes into the office looking for one of my co-workers... I tell her "oh, you just missed her, she stepped out for a minute." The woman replies, "we are like ships passing in the night."). I was sorely tempted to correct her mistake, but I just smiled and bit my tongue. Longfellow was not talking about missed connections (as it is listed on Craigslist.com), but rather how our relationships on earth are fleeting - there for a moment, and gone just as quickly as they came. Read the whole verse for yourself:

Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing,
Only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness;
So on the ocean of life we pass and speak one another,
Only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence.

When "Happily Ever After" ends a little differently

For Web designer Patrick Moberg, then 21, from Brooklyn, it was love at first sight when he spotted a woman on a Manhattan train last November. But he lost her in the crowd so he set up a website with a sketch to find her --http://www.nygirlofmydreams.com/. Unbelievably in a city of 8 million people, it only took Moberg 48 hours to track down the woman.

The "dream-girl," Camille Hayton, said she dated Moberg for about two months but it just didn't work out, and now they are "just friends."

I just thought this was a great story (a little stalkerish, and not really something I would have necessarily appreciated, but cute in its own way). I think what I liked most though is that this fairy tale did not have the typical ending. I'm sure both parties are much better going their seperate ways, rather than having an elaborate wedding to create the illusion of the perfect ending. Instead, they lived happily ever after... single and carefree. =)

Justice prevails...

President Bush could have commuted the death sentence of Ronald A. Gray, a former Army cook convicted of multiple rapes and murders. But Bush decided Monday that Gray's crimes were so repugnant that execution was the only just punishment. Bush's decision marked the first time in 51 years that a president has affirmed a death sentence for a member of the U.S. military. (click here for full article)

Now, I love our military. And anyone who knows me can tell you that I have a special affinity for the Army thanks to my time in Ramadi. But there are some people, regardless of job title, who just do not deserve to live because of all the lives they have ruined. It may sound callous, but I do not think capital punishment is utilized often enough in this country. So, hats off to the President for actually making the hard decision and allowing the just punishment of one who destroyed the lives of multiple innocents!

Welcome to POHA

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has declared a "Period of Heighted Alert" (POHA) for the next year, beginning August 1st. While the national threat level remains at Yellow (at present), intelligence analysts will be encouraged to increase productivity in following terrorism leads, while others will be working on contingency plans should anything happen despite our best efforts. The reasons for all of this: the DNC, the RNC, the national election, as well as the transition into a new presidential administration. It should be an interesting year to come...
It might actually turn out to be safer in Iraq... (just kidding). =)

Exciting times

It just makes my day to log-on to my computer in the morning and read about the success we are having in Iraq. The past month has seen a steady increase in these good news stories. Here is an excerpt from an article I read this morning:

The United States is now winning the war that two years ago seemed lost. Limited, sometimes sharp fighting and periodic terrorist bombings in Iraq are likely to continue, possibly for years. But the Iraqi government and the U.S. now are able to shift focus from mainly combat to mainly building the fragile beginnings of peace - a transition that many found almost unthinkable as recently as one year ago... That does not mean the war has ended or that U.S. troops have no role in Iraq. It means the combat phase finally is ending... The new phase focuses on training the Iraqi army and police, restraining the flow of illicit weaponry from Iran, supporting closer links between Baghdad and local governments, pushing the integration of former insurgents into legitimate government jobs and assisting in rebuilding the economy. (click here for full article)

These really are exciting times! It feels like we have been at war for a LONG time, but to finally see results makes it all worth it. Oh to go back over there and be a part of it all... *sigh*

18-year-old male stupidity has no gegraphic limitations...

It seems that no matter where they are located on the globe, 18-year-old males are universally prone to doing the dumbest things! In Australia, one such young man decide to play chicken with oncoming vehicles on Melbourne freeway. Not only was he not in a vehicle, he was barely even dressed, sporting only his underwear! He managed to live through the ordeal, but he was hit by a four-wheel drive vehicle and is currently in the hospital.
(Click here for Reuters article)

What is WRONG with people?!

Get out of the way, road rage. Here comes desk rage. Anger in the workplace -- employees and employers who are grumpy, insulting, short-tempered or worse -- is shockingly common and likely growing...

While reading the news online this morning, I came across this article about office rage. I, thankfully, do not have to deal with that. I love my co-workers, and everyone I work with has a generally good attitude (I mean, we all have our days... it's all about how you deal with it). I found it interesting though... I think the reporter hit on something when she wrote:

"Rudeness, impatience, people being angry -- we used to do that kind of stuff at home but at work, we were professional. Now it's almost becoming trendy to do it at work. It was something we did behind closed doors," she said. "Now people are losing their sense of embarrassment over it." (click here
for complete article)

As a society, we have done so much to rid ourselves of guilt and embarrassment that we have lost ALL sense of shame. There was a time when victims of various crimes didn't get the help they needed because of the shame they felt over what had happened to them - as if it was their fault. But unfortunately the pendulum has gone full-swing to the other extreme. Now people are not embarrassed over actions that should certainly cause them to blush. Will it ever swing back again? I wonder...

Caveat emptor!

As an update on a post from last week, here is a warning...
My co-worker sent me an article condemning MyGallons.com. The article says the company's prepaid debit card system does not actually work as it alleges. The Better Business Bureau gave it very bad marks because of thier false advertisements. On their website, MyGallons.com claims that their debit card is accepted at 95% of gas stations across the country. Apparently that is not the case. The article also brought up the point that I made: after paying the membership fee, you would have to buy a lot of gas and then the gas prices would have to rise quite a bit more, in order to actually save any money.

This has GOT to be a good sign...

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki raised the prospect on Monday of setting a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops as part of negotiations over a new security agreement with Washington. (Reuters)

Before now, there has been no mention of the US ever leaving... not by the Iraqis anyway (let me clarify, not by the Iraqis we are backing).

While I support the war effort and our soldiers, marines, etc, over there, I will be very happy to see them come home (or in the case of some, to see them not have to go back for a third or fourth tour).

God bless our troops! And God bless America!

How the NYer celebrated Independence Day...

Nothing beats fireworks by the Gruccis at Jones Beach!

How much more can it rise?!

There is a fairly new and rather ingenius company that claims to want to save people money at the gas pumps. It is called MyGallons.com. What it allows people to do is to lock in at a certain rate and every time they go to fill their gas tanks, they will pay the agreed-upon price. From what I understand it is like a prepaid phone card. You buy the amount you want in advance and then you redeem it as you need it. You swipe your gas card and, voila! Your gas is paid for. All of the major gas stations accept it, which makes it fairly convenient. The one draw-back is the membership fee ($29.95), but that would not be a big deal if gas prices sky-rocketed in the near future and you bought enough to make it worth your while.

My only question in all of this, is how much can gas prices continue to rise?! Is there no end in sight?

Africa, here I come?

Well, I don't know... but I am certainly hoping! What I REALLY want is to return to Iraq, but if I can go to Africa, absolutely, I will go! I need a change of pace and change of scenery. I just need a change. I miss the excitement of being a million miles away from civilization.

So... yeah, it is just a long-shot possibility at the moment, but I am hoping and praying... =)

Note to self: do not iron for anyone but yourself

ROME (Reuters) - An Italian man was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping his ex-girlfriend from a pub, taking her home and forcing her to iron his clothes and wash the dishes, police said Monday. The 43-year-old man dragged the woman out of a pub in the port city of Genoa, shoved her into a car and took her to his home where he made her iron and wash dishes after threatening her, they said. Police arrived at his house after being tipped off by a friend of the woman who watched the scene at the pub. The man, who was apparently furious at his ex-girlfriend for leaving him, was arrested on charges of kidnapping, police said.

Ummm... excuse me, but did you miss the memo, sir? This is the 21st century and women have been liberated... ironing is not our responsibility anymore!

One of "THOSE" days...

Why is it that whenever we say "it is one of those days..." we are never referring to one of those wonderful, everything-is-going-perfect days? Is it because we forget to be grateful for them? Or it is that they are so common we don't even think to mention the good days? Or is it that we think we are entitled to those and so when they come along, our attitude is more of "finally! I get break."? I know for myself, I am thankful for the big things - the in-your-face, amazingly fantastic things - but the little blessings that surround me every day tend to go unnoticed. On the other hand, truly BAD things rarely happen to me, yet I will let the tiniest set-backs affect my mood. It's really quite ridiculous when you think about it. I have been thinking about it... It was brought to my attention because a friend of mine does the exact opposite, thanking God daily for the little things, while never giving the little hinderances in life a second thought. I think it is time for an attitude change. And I need to start with the way I think (and talk) about each of the days I am given.
Wow! Challenged already! As I am writing this, I got an email from my flatmate, informing me that I got a parking ticket that I did not know about. What can I say? At least I HAVE a car. =)

In need of a life

Any thoughts on where I can find one? I already tried EBay (I knew I should've bought that one in Australia!) and Craigslist.com... All suggestions are welcome.

Culture Warrior: a review

For the last month, I have been reading Bill O'Reilly's Culture Warrior. Overall, I think it is a great book and brings out some really interesting points. However, I do not agree with him in everything. This morning, I was reading while working out (my normal routine), and came across a topic that definitely caught my attention.

In chapter 12, O'Reilly brings up the topic of religion in the culture war. I think he gets it right when he says that "the conservative Christian groups... are most engaged on the traditional side." What I disagree with is his statement that this war will not be won "in the religious arena" because Christians base their stand on morality, not necessarily economic prosperity. Personally, I think that if the Culture War is won at all, it will be because of the strong Christians in this country and the omnipotent God they stand for. According to a poll cited in the book, 15% of Americans are hard-core liberals, while 35% style themselves conservative, leaving the remaining 50% moderate (otherwise known as apathetic - in my opinion). If these numbers are correct, what it shows is that a passion for something is needed to get people motivated to even enter the war. Yeah, Americans care about the economy, but in reality, most only care about what their own bank accounts look like. O'Reilly suggests that traditionalists persuade the non-religious of this country that traditionalism is in their best interest. I do not believe this is a good strategy. The social-progressives are all about individulism. If the traditionalist tries to win an argument appealing to individual interest, he is already at a disadvantage against the S-P warrior. I would offer that Christianity, which appeals to a greater good outside of the individual, is one of the few ideologies that will successfully motivate people to rally for the traditional cause. That being said, it has to be a deep-rooted conviction and not merely a formality like the denigrated version of Christianity that is preached in too many churches across America. Like I said earlier, passion for a cause is necessary in order to rally the troops and take them to victory.

I suppose only time will tell how this war will turn out, but that is my two cents on the topic.

Oh, and as an aside (purely for amusement purposes), my favorite quote from the book is a statement O'Reilly directs at Nancy Pelosi after she has accused him of "calling for a terrorist attack." And here it is: "She... lives in a virtual Land of Oz. And to her I have only one thing say: You better knock it off lady, or I'll throw water on you and take your shoes."

Still in Puerto Rico (at heart)

We arrived in San Juan rather late on Saturday night, so this is where we stayed the first night until we were able to catch the ferry over to Vieques.

On day two we made it over to the island by ferry, then took a publico to our rental house, "Casa Colibri." The directions to get there were the most unusual I had ever seen in my life... they were as follows: go past the house with the cow statue in the front yard, then up the hill and drive along the ridge, pass the house with new wide gate and many barking dogs, pass the green wooden house with shutters, pass the white house on corner and arrive at Casa Colibri.

The little Geo Tracker, though rickety, got us around the ridiculously bumpy roads to the fabulously gorgous beaches!

Like this one. =)

Narnia: Prince Caspian

In my family it only takes doing something once for it to become "tradition" (I don't make up the rules... that would be my youngest two siblings). So, as tradition would have it, on Saturday I went with my family to the movie theater to watch the second Narnia movie to come out on the silver screen. Unlike with the hyped-up Indiana Jones, I was not disappointed with Prince Caspian. The soundtrack was very similar to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, which I LOVED! The scenerey was absolutely breath-taking! I have long wanted to visit New Zealand, but this movie has REALLY given me a desire to go. (As a random side-note, parts of the movie were also filmed in Poland, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic, which I never would have guessed if I hadn't looked it up). And Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) was super-cute, with an alluring Spanish accent, making him a perfect prince. =) My younger siblings loved the fighting scenes, while one of my favorite scenes was the reappearance of the White Witch... in a block of ice. The movie strayed a little from the book, but remained close enough that the general moral of the story was unchanged. Would I recommend it? Absolutely.

Books I need

I first came across this book while shopping in Savannah with J and K. Of course J found it absolutely apalling that I would even find such a book amusing, while K thought it was pretty funny (the difference between the sexes). I don't know... maybe it is just me (but I kinda doubt it)... from the time we are very little, there is just something in girls that finds great enjoyment in tormenting (physically or psychologically) little boys simply because (as the more intellectually advanced sex) we can.

I recently found out that the author of the Boys are Stupid book has since come out with Girls are Weirdos (but they smell pretty). While the title does not sound particularly flattering representation of the prettier half of humanity, it is actually just a confession that guys do not understand us at all, but they are attracted nonetheless and in the end the fact that we smell (and look) pretty overrides the fact that they think we are rather strange.

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I am often irritated by the entire male population. I think these books are PERFECT because sometimes laughing at boys is actually more fun than tying them to trees and making them eat worms (not that I would ever consider doing such a thing). =P

I should not watch the weather channel!

I can't help it... as I sit here freezing, I get very jealous when I see other areas of the country enjoying temperatures in the 90s and 100s. I think it is time to go back to Iraq.

More Vieques Pics...

A week in paradise...

Crystal-blue water, beautiful sunny days, soft sand, amazing flora and fauna, and of course... 7 whole days with my Mom and sister... doesn't get much better than that!

Snapshots of a FABULOUS week in the sun!

I miss him so!

There are days I can forget. For years now I have been a couple hundred miles away from where he lived, I was used to not seeing or talking to him on a regular basis, but each time I drive back to the state I still claim as home, I am reminded all over again that he is gone... forever.
The other day I took my scissors out of their case (I had a haircut to do) and quarter dropped out. I knew immediately what it was. I remembered putting it there last summer just before leaving for Iraq. It was a drummer boy quarter. Grandpa always collected them, telling us that someday they would be worth something more than 25 cents. I had put that quarter there so I would remember to give it to Grandpa when I went home next. I'd always cut his hair and he'd tell me what great job I did - that I was much better than his barber. The day I put that quarter in my scissor-case I didn't know I'd never cut his hair again or have the chance to give it to him.
It may seem silly and rather unimportant, but it is the little things - reminders of the things I didn't do or say that make it hardest. There is never a good time to say good-bye, but at least a bad time is better than never being able to say it at all.