A Texan Abroad

PIPA & SOPA

2012-01-19T08:14:00.002-05:00

Well we blacked out the web yesterday, which caused quite a few elected officials some serious discomfort. SOPA & PIPA were battered and bruised at midnight, but they're not dead (yet). We must keep the heat on DC, the Senate plans to vote on PIPA on the 24th of January.

We clogged up the switchboard, we took down their servers with the amount of traffic, we yelled & DC heard! It isn't over yet!

If you:

love the free internet...

you believe the government has no business in censoring search results...

that big business has done enough damage to the experiment that is American Democracy..

you love your First Amendment Right to Freedom of Speech...

you believe your rights shouldn't be trampled on for $$...

you believe that Congress should not do an end zone run around the Judicial branch...

you believe that no one should be able to steal your website with the help of Congress, or anyone else...

you believe the RIAA, MPAA, and Rupert Murdock do NOT have your best interests at heart by trying to shut down the web...

you believe that there are better ways to combat internet piracy than to steal websites, censor results and lie to the people...

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS!!

Do so EVERY day. Email is good, phones are better, and in person is best!! I understand that not everyone can get to their elected official's nearest office (VA is no where near SA, TX) but you CAN have your voice heard!

Contact your Representative, your Senators, and the White House.

Big Business may think they own DC, but they don't. There's far more of us than there are of them & their $$ will only get them so far. Stand up & be counted. Shout out & be heard.

STOP PIPA & SOPA!!!

December 7, 1941

2011-12-07T07:59:00.004-05:00

70 years ago Pearl Harbor was attacked. Even though it would be recorded tomorrow due to the International Date Line, the Philippines were attacked. My great-grandfather was in the Philippines (prepping for his retirement from Army service after 29 years) when the attack happened. He would later go into captivity for 4 long years as a POW of the Japanese.

Seventy years later, there are those of us that still remember, that still honor the sacrifices of those who would bare the brunt of a dastardly, cowardly attack. War is ugly, there is no pretty face to it no matter what the UN might want as "rules of war", but the least one nation can do is to say "we're going to war" with their enemy. We were not given that warning, but I dare say we rose to the attack, shook off our shock, honored our dead and then went on to defend the Western world.

In the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt:

Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives:

Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

Fewer and fewer of those men and women who defended their nation, their ideals, their civilization, remain with us each passing day. Take today to remember them. Take today to thank a WWII vet, a Korea, Vietnam, Dessert Storm/Shield, War on Terror vet. Take a moment to give thanks to the divine (the cosmos, whatever you believe in) that those men & women were there & heeded the call to do what had to be done. Thank their families for what they endured, thank their fellow vets for what they do. Remember America, those who serve you quietly every day and ask little to nothing in return.

Family lore is that when the US Army folks came to tell my great-grandmother that her husband was captured, presumed dead her reply was that they were welcome to visit the house again, WHEN her husband returned as she KNEW he would. She would have to wait 4 very long, I'm sure terribly draining & tense, years but I doubt heaven itself would have bet against her. He DID return to his wife, his children, and then get to see several of his grandchildren born. This after having been lost behind enemy lines in WWI as a messenger, for a week! The Army really should have known he'd come back but my great-grandmother had faith in her husband! I have that kind of faith in my husband. I have that faith in the men & women who serve this great nation, 70 years on from a terrible day. Have faith, America! We shall always triumph as long as we believe in our values, our morals, our people.

Its hot?

2011-07-20T11:18:00.002-04:00

No shit Sherlock!

It seems the center of the US is in the grips of a heat wave & we should all feel terribly for them!

I don't. I've heard people from those states laugh it up at Texas' expense (& NM, AZ, CA, & even UT) because of the heat we have every summer.

In TX we don't drop like flies in 115-120 degree heat. We're smart enough to GO INSIDE in the heat of the day! Apparently this very basic understanding escapes a LOT of Americans - Heat = go where it's cool!!

I don't hope anyone dies, but I sure as hell hope it wakes some buttheads up to the fact they've been having some serious Schadenfreude at the "south west's" expense for decades. Time to pay the Piper folks. Just remember to do it from INSIDE the house with the windows open & fans on, if you don't have A/C.

Wounded in our service? WE DON'T CARE - so says Knob Hill in GA

2011-06-23T11:27:00.002-04:00

Imagine a country in which you serve your nation, you get wounded, you come home & you're denied the right to a home. That nation is AMERICA, that time is now, that location is Knob Hill in GA.

Sgt First Class Sean Gittens served his nation with honor. He was wounded, left paralyzed and unable to speak. Homes for Our Troops purchased land to build him an adaptive home, one that helps meet his needs for the rest of his life.

Along comes the Knob Hill Property Owner's Association. After Homes for Our Troops working closely with them for months, being given permission to build, and preparing the site they Property Owners threw a fit. It seems that a home for a wounded warrior is NOT IN KEEPING with the appearances of their suburb. They pressured the suburb directors, so they've rescinded the building permit!

Clearly the whiny bellyachers in Georgia disdain their military. You're okay to send to die, but don't you come back & expect to live near us! The entire community, their city, their region, their state & nation are all tarred with the filth that they are. A bunch of overpaid whiners who don't know the meaning of sacrifice in the name of others has decided that a wounded man does NOT need to live near them - I guess they think he's contagious (we can only HOPE some of their spawn would serve their nation).

If you've got a problem with it, email President of the Board of Directors, Rick Trump, at Rick.Trump@Comcast.net. (I don't even care if the spambots get hold of his address, I hope they do.)

Budget, we don't need no stinkin' budget!

2011-04-09T00:57:00.002-04:00

It isn't like the US military in 3 war zones needs to be payed or their family has the need for roofs & food.

So the lazy bastards passed a stop gap until Thursday. Yay, let's all throw them a party & pretend they did something good. Let's pretend that they deserve to be rewarded for doing their jobs, as though they're some knight in shining armour set to protect us from the dragon - oh, don't look too close at that dragon or you're realize it's at their command in the 1st place. Let's all ignore the giant f*cking elephant in the room that is the complete & utter bankruptcy of their morals & our bank account.

We can NOT keep spending. WE don't have the funds! We're mortgaged to the hilt to the Red Chinese.

We can NOT pay for all the shit DC wants. However they're too essential in a shutdown to not get paid, while the US military amounts to nothing more than Park Rangers & Capitol tour guides.

There are no sacred cows left. Gut Medicare & Medicade. Slash funding for DOD new shiny toys - it isn't like the DOD really cares that they waste millions every day to develop $25 million dollar jets that can't even deploy to a war zone!. Time to fully burn Social Security. Cut out the cancer that is welfare & start demanding sweat equity of those who get governmental assistance - dig a ditch, clean a sewer, pick up garbage, harvest an orchard or a farm. Its high time the American people get something other than "its the other guy's fault" bickering for their dollars.

Now is the time to see if the US tax payer has enough intestinal fortitude to do what needs to be done, or if they're a bunch of squeamish sheep to the slaughter. I know where my money is - same place it was 15 years ago during the LAST shutdown & I can say the American people have no more sense or brains now than they did then. Its all "gimme, gimme, gimme" but don't expect anyone to shoulder the burden.

We can either see this as a turning point in the decline of our country & start back up the hard road to the top, or we can just keep our hands waved above the cart as we plummet to the bottom & crash.

2011-04-05T20:48:00.001-04:00

Loves the look when we order 5 sweet teas & quick, easy meals out. It seems to make servers happy to have an easy group. Remember to be nice to your server!

2011-04-04T15:46:00.001-04:00

Might as well be at the spa with the wind blown sand treatment today. Gloucester beach is an awesome, quiet spot to come on a warm sunny day.

2011-04-03T22:43:00.001-04:00

I question my children's DNA. We stopped at the Gloucester Walmart & I hear ... "Another walmart?"

2011-04-03T15:35:00.001-04:00

Got a new van. 95 Previa. It can book! Now to drive it home and get it tagged & titled.

2011-04-03T12:13:00.001-04:00

My kingdom for a bag of Dove chocolate eggs!

DC trip

2011-03-16T14:47:00.001-04:00

For any and all, sundry, whatever you wanna call it there are photos & stuff going up on the family blog, and my Facebook page. If you don't know those addresses there's a reason for that (probably NOT that I don't like you).

Home from Arlington

2011-03-16T00:49:00.001-04:00

We're home from our trip to Arlington to honor Mr. Frank Buckles.

Time for bed, is well after 0000 hrs...

Thank you Rep Poe!

2011-03-07T21:38:00.002-05:00

Rep. Ted Poe, of Texas' 2nd District, is Urging that Mr. Frank W. Buckles be Lain In State in the Capitol Rotunda. Hallelujah! THANK YOU Rep Poe!

If you would like to take a moment to thank Rep Poe for listening, you can e-mail him.

Washington is beginning to hear the roar of the people. Don't let up on them, double & redouble the contacting, the emails, the phone calls, the faxes. Let us give our last Great War veteran the honor for his generation.

CALLING ALL AMERICANS

2011-03-07T08:50:00.002-05:00

Light up DC's Switchboard! Call, fax, email, if you're local WALK IN, if you're not MAIL A LETTER! Frank W. Buckles has EARNED the honor of the Rotunda by being the last WWI Veteran we will ever have.

Frank W. Buckles passed away 27 Feb 2011 at the age of 110. He was America's LAST WWI Veteran. We have no others, we will never have another. We must do this right, and do it now, or we slip even more deeply into a lack of respect and honor for those in the service.

Mr. Buckles should Lie In State in the Capitol Rotunda in DC. This honor is not for him, it is for the 4.7 million Americans he represents. It is for the entire generation that fought the Great War. We have lain men who send boys off to die in the Rotunda, but according to Speaker of the House Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, the last man standing to have survived that war has earned no honors.

Frank Woodruff Buckles was born in 1901. He lied to enlist to serve his nation. He would go on to be a civilian Prisoner of War of the Japanese in the Philippines in WWII. He saw the horrors of the battlefields of France as an Ambulance driver. He spent several years after WWI helping to repatriate German POWs. He suffered years of starvation and deprivation at the hands of one of America's most brutal enemies. He asked NOTHING for himself in return for those services, that suffering. He has more than earned the honor of being remembered, as have all his brothers & sisters in arms.

To add insult to injury, the DOD has REFUSED to provide an Honor Guard to Mr. Buckles' body if anything happens outside of Arlington. He only got the 'right' to rest in Arlington because President Bush ordered it so in 2006. This is NO way to treat a veteran, let alone the last of his brothers in arms. A 2 star general has claimed it is not cost effective to send an Honor Guard across the Potomac river to guard the body of the last Doughboy. Even now the DOD is fighting to prevent Mr. Buckles' use of the amphitheater in Arlington which is within earshot & sight of the Tomb of the Unknowns which houses the remains of a solider who also fought WWI.

This is not about politics, this is not about party affiliation. This is not about which branch is better. This is about honoring a generation through their last known survivor. Even now WWI has NO federal memorial, just a dilapidated run down hulk in DC that's purely a city memorial. We CAN and SHOULD do better. Mr. Buckles never asked for anything for himself, but he spent his last years fighting to get the veterans of WWI recognized and remembered. Let's not fail him in death as we so pitifully did in life.

We have laid the likes of Rosa Parks in the Capitol Rotunda. The Unknown Soldier of WWI laid in the Rotunda. Teddy Kennedy, a lying whoremonger alcoholic Laid In State. Congress even exhumed Pierre L'Enfant, architect of Washington DC over 100 years AFTER his death, and laid him in the Rotunda but according to two stubborn old men who have not served one day in the uniform of their country Mr. Buckles (and every veteran he represents) is not "entitled" (yes, that is the word they chose to use) to such remembrance. Neither Reid nor Boehner has served their nation, but they've sent you all off to fight wars in their names while they stayed comfy at home in DC. They've never seen combat, they've never had to leave their families for months or years on end to be shot at, to live in sand and dense jungle, to sweat and bleed for those back home. These are the likes of the 2 men blocking the honoring of the last WWI Veteran.

Britain is the sole country to have survivors of the Great War, and they only have 2 - 1 in the UK (a 109 year old woman) and 1 in Australia (a 110 year old man). France has none, Russia has none, Poland has none, every other country party to War to End All Wars has none and now, we have but the shell of the last. France honored their last with their own version of a Lying In State, as did Russia, and every other combatant nation to have fought WWI. Surely Mr. Buckles' body deserves to be draped in the flag he fought for, the flag of the nation he suffered for, the flag of the nation he honored to his last breath. Surely we as a nation can send representatives of our military services to stand guard over that flag draped coffin, and beyond a shadow of a doubt that coffin deserves to lie in the polished marble halls of the capital of the nation.

As Texans we pride ourselves on honor, duty, respect to our elders, respect to our military, and doing things the old fashioned way - with love and care. We have the most military members (either born or settled) of any state in the nation who call us home. Its time to act like we remember where our backbone is and demand that the nation gets the chance to honor their own.

It is time that the so-called servants of the people, answer to the will of the people. I'm not asking for your money, I'm asking for your voice. I am asking for your time, just a few precious minutes, to do the right thing for our elder.

Please, if you support it or don't, call / email / fax. MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!

Lying In Honor for Mr. Buckles ~ We need your help!

2011-03-04T15:05:00.004-05:00

Speaker of the House Boehner (Bonehead is more like) is REFUSING to give Mr. Frank W. Buckles a Lying In Honor, or a Lying In State in the Capitol Rotunda. He's also REFUSING to say WHY!

I want to know WHY Frank W. Buckles, the LAST US veteran of WWI is being denied the honor of a Lying In Honor or a Lying In State. Its okay that the shriveled up old draft dodger cry babies hold office & send men off to die, but its NOT okay to honor those who came back from the killing fields they were sent to?

Rosa Parks got the honor of a Lying In Honor in the Capitol Rotunda, but the LAST veteran of the Great War to wear a US military uniform who went on to be a civilian POW of the Japanese in the Philippines isn't "entitled" to the honor according to the Speaker.

Worse yet, if you contact his office his staff has said that he only represents the 8th District of Ohio, NOT the American People. Yet he is the Speaker of the House so he answers to ALL Americans. Right now, he's refusing to answer to anyone.

Instead he's taking thousands of dollars a head to whine at fundraisers about his affair & blubbering on national television. That damn well doesn't sit okay with me!

Even the BBC & the French are having a go at the US for refusing to honor our last doughboy! Is the US so bereft of respect for their military that they'll allow an elected wind bag, who cries at the drop of a hat, ceremonially shit on the last US WWI veteran?

If you don't approve of this treatment of the last of an era, CONTACT YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES!

Speaker of the House

House of Representatives

112th Senate

The White House

Your Governor

Ask that Mr. Frank W. Buckles be given a Lying In Honor (if not the higher honor of a Lying In State) with an Honor Guard, in the Capitol Rotunda.

Ask what rules are being used to deny him this honor.

Ask why an elected official has refused to answer or explain his decision.

Ask why an elected official would refuse such an honor.

Let's get Mr. Buckles, and all his fellow doughboys, the honor they have long been denied!

Goodbye to Pershing's Last Patriot

2011-02-28T16:52:00.003-05:00

It is with deep sadness I read of Frank Woodruff Buckles' passing today.

Today is a sad day. We have seen the last of our WWI veterans pass. May his family know some small peace that those around the world mourn their loss. May Mr. Buckles be greeted at Heaven's gate by General John. J. Pershing himself.

I will update the page with any & all national memorials for Mr. Buckles. I pray the DOD gives him a lying in state. He has earned it, time & again for his services to his nation.

I would like to dedicate "A Soldier's Prayer" to the memory of Mr. Buckles & and his fellow brothers and sisters in arms who have put their lives in harm's way to make the world a better, safer place.

A Soldier's Prayer

The soldier stood and faced his God Which must always come to pass...
He hoped his shoes were shining Just as brightly as his brass.
"Step forward now, you soldier, How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek? To My Church have you been true?"
The soldier squared his shoulders and Said,"No, Lord, I guess I ain't...
Because those of us who carry guns Can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays And at times my talk was rough,
And sometimes I've been violent, Because the streets are awfully tough.
But, I never took a penny That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime When the bills got just too steep,
And I never passed a cry for help, Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me, I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place Among the people here...
They never wanted me around Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here, Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much, But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was a silence all around the throne Where the saints had often trod...
As the soldier waited quietly, For the judgment of his God,
"Step forward now you soldier,
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."

Christchurch Quake

2011-02-22T09:41:00.003-05:00

Just got back from a family trip so I'm only now getting the news sorted out.

My thoughts & prayers to those in NZ, those on the way to help, & those who have family/friends there.

I don't usually like our Google Overlords, but if you know someone in NZ that you're worried about, or you have information about someone in NZ following the quake, please use the people finder tool released by Google to help find loved ones.

Let's pray the death toll stays at the current 65 & that Search and Rescue is able to help those who are still trapped.

Happy Birthday

2011-02-01T08:32:00.002-05:00

To Mr. Frank Woodruff Buckles of Charlestown, WV. He is our ONLY surviving WW1 veteran & he turns 110 today, Feb 1 2011.

The things he's seen come & go. The beauty & the horrors & just the every day bits of life are astounding.

He survived the battlefields of France as an ambulanceman.

He was a civilian POW of the Japanese in WWII, having served in the Merchant Marines.

As a special gift to him & and his 5 million comrades in arms in the US alone, please contact your local, state & federal officials to push for a
National WWI Memorial.

Sadly we do NOT have a National monument to those who served in the Great War. It is long, long over due. While Mr. Buckles would most likely not survive to see its completion (unless we all worked together to get it done), we owe him the honor of seeing the ground breaking. Please, write a letter to your Congressman, your Senators, your Governor, your State representatives & push them to finally do what is so long long past being needed & honorable.

Mr. Buckles is 110, today! We've been blessed to have him for this long but tomorrow is never a guarantee for any of us, so anything America can do for him is nothing short of what's owed him as the last remaining member of our WW1 fighting corps. He is a representative of all those who have gone before him, the absolute least the nation can do is to honor their sacrifices & give a proper memorial to those who fought, bled & died in our name.

Happy Birthday Mr. Buckles. May it find you healthy, happy, and surrounded by those who love & care about you.

2011-01-13T21:05:00.002-05:00

So did your sign change?

According to the Minnesota Planetarium Society (don't they just sound like farmers watching stars instead of cows), the zodiac is NOT correct. Honestly it isn't & hasn't been for a long time. The sun signs as given are based on 2000 year old astrology. Not 2000 years worth of astrology, literally astrology that was done 2000 years ago.

So are you now one of the new, 13th sign? Ophiuchus is actually now the 12th sign, so you late blooming Sagittarius may get to stay where you are. However I'm a Leo - through & through. My sign is still Leo, thought I'm now in the "cusp" week at the beginning of the sign.

Not that I live my life by my astrology. Its just an amusement. Any Ophichus readers out there? Did your sign change? Do you think you fit well in your 'new' one?

New Recipe

2011-01-09T16:47:00.001-05:00

For a bento dish, but still. Namasu, a type of radish & carrot salad/pickle.

BENTO!!!

2011-01-03T07:59:00.003-05:00

This is what happens when I have friends around the world who like when I get all geeky in the kitchen! :D

Apple flowers

Boiled egg shapes (those were HOT!!), cookie cuttered meat, & mandarin orange slices. The apples went with the oranges.

Ham, Turkey, Bologna & boiled egg shapes.

Black & green olives, celery & carrots (cut into hearts & flowers), & sweet rice shapes.

Brown Sugar & Cinnamon rice shapes.

My case for legalization of marijuana

2010-12-15T17:23:00.002-05:00

Let me start off by saying that:
1 - I do NOT smoke weed. PERIOD. I do NOT want to smoke weed. PERIOD.

2 - I do NOT believe that smoking weed makes you a better or worse person.

3 - I do NOT believe that weed makes you suseptible to every other drug on the planet.

4 - I do NOT believe weed makes you commit crimes or become violent but all people react differently so I will not say it is impossible, only highly improbable given my personal experiences with those that do partake.

With those caveats out of the way, let's get on with it.

I have long had issue with the federal government, and state governments, outlawing marijuana. There is no Constitutional basis for the outlawing of it, it was legal up into the 1920s so the change in societal ideas seems to coincide with Prohibition, which I take moral issue with. (If I chose not to do something, that's MY right. However I do NOT believe anyone has the right (nor does society at large) to force others to conform to my beliefs. Outside of a few tenants that are sacrosanct - murder, rape, torture, & generally forcing those who are helpless to protect themselves into doing something they don't want to do, society has no rights to enforce upon you or me or anyone a set of rules that must be followed without deviation.)

The fallacy of a federal government (or any government for that matter) that outlaws a growing plant does NOT escape me. It is a naturally growing, perfectly normal, plant. What a HUMAN does with it after harvesting it should NOT make the plant illegal. Plain & simple common sense dictates that man writing a law on paper holds no sway in the kingdom of Flora & Fauna. This is an absolute. I can outlaw mosquitoes, doesn't mean they're going to go away or give a squirt that I outlawed them. Same for a non-sentient (to currently knowledge any way) plant. It is ludicrous for a man (or group of men) to make a law saying a plant can't grow or be grown. IT OCCURS WITHOUT THOUGHT TO MAN, thus your law against it is pointless & nothing more than political aggrandizement of wanton stupidity. My opinions on political wanton stupidity are for a different day.

The sheer money we spend to keep those who imbibe in the weed in prison every day is staggering & needless waste! The tax payer (you, me & every other honest American but apparently NOT Wesley Snipes - among others) pays for their food, their bed, their clothes, their medicine, their entertainment, their education, their subsidization with work, their physical protection & the creation of NEW prisons in which to keep them. WHAT do we get out of this? NOT A DAMN THING! They don't work on chain gangs so we get no sweat equity. They learn from more hardened criminals how to break the law & not get caught again so we get only hardened criminals coming out. We get the joy of jailhouse lawyers who's only purpose in learning the law is to thwart it or screw over the honest citizens amongst us, so we get ceremonially shit on by those who use as well. We get a backlog of court cases clogging an already busy system, thus preventing the vast majority of defendants to their speedy day in court. We lose countless man hours for police to attempt to catch & punish those who smoke a weed.

What is the difference between marijuana & tobacco? Honestly, on a molecular level to a moral level if you have something to say I welcome it. One would think molecularily they are very different, and while many do get a 'high' off of weed, it isn't a violent one, or a criminal one. It makes you stupid & hungry. Not at all what I would term as a threat to society or even to yourself.

The federal government, including military doctors, PRESCRIBE marijuana to patients with conditions that make them not eat. Be it cancer to adverse effects to other medications, it is prescribed by the employees of the very government that says it's illegal. That hypocrisy has never sat well with me. I'm all for giving a cancer patient something to help them eat, but to give them the very thing that they can't legally buy without cancer eating them alive from the inside out is disturbing to me on a deeply visceral level.

If we were to legalize weed in small quantities, much like they do in the Netherlands, for immediate use at a government sanctioned location/pot hut we would then be able to legally TAX it. The federal government is always moaning it doesn't have enough $$, but goes out of its way to hobble itself in the process.

Weed legalization would see an almost immediate decrease in the number of people in the criminal justice system. They wouldn't be arrested, freeing up Police time & supplies to combat ACTUAL criminals. They wouldn't be found guilty, thus producing yet another mouth for the societal teat to feed.

Weed legalization would allow Police $$ & time & personnel to be better spent tracking actual criminals instead of low end personal users. What I do in my own home is my own business, just as I feel what you do in your home is your business. Animals, children & elderly aside - if you're all consenting adults I don't care! Nor do I want or need to know about it unless I chose to partake in it with you.

Weed legalization would lead to a near to immediate reduction in prison inmates. No one arrested for minor use, means no minor users taking up space! That would DRASTICALLY lower the costs to pay for prisoners. From bedding & clothes to toilet paper to wipe their asses to food to fill their bellies to meds to quiet their aches & pains. From not having to buy the little turds a new XBox or Wii to less electricity because less facilities to lower construction costs, its a win win in my opinion. (Feel free to share yours in the comments, I really do like to hear & see different view points.)

So it would lead to an immediate decrease in prisoner numbers, prison costs, and court costs. It would lead to an immediate upswing in tax income as well.

Thus is my opinion & reasoning behind supporting the legalization of marijuana.

Way to Go!

2010-12-11T17:20:00.002-05:00

The Bull Islanders won their 1st Division AAA State Title today with a score of 23-17 against Richlands. Way to go Bulls!!

Veteran's Day

2010-11-11T19:12:00.003-05:00

To all my friends, family, and readers who are veterans, related to them, or support them - THANK YOU

I have been blessed to be raised around Marines, Navy, & Army troops. I am blessed to have met & married one of the most honorable, awesome men on the planet & lived an insane & priceless life with him. I have been enumerable blessed to meet & befriend so very many men & women in the military, my life would be severely lacking without you. I have been honored & blessed to meet just a few of our Allies but they are shining examples of the best mankind has to offer, deep & true friends. I have been blessed to meet (sometimes in person!) many of my blog readers who have served their nation & I am constantly ...

Humbled

Honored

Blessed

& so many more things by living this life.

The military people I know & love are wonderful examples of what an American is. They are from so many different walks of life, but they all personify the virtues that make this nation the greatest on the planet. Honor, dignity, responsibility, dedication & selflessness. You are heroes among men, even though none that I know would ever consider themselves a hero, nor would they toot their own horns. So as a wife, a grandchild, a niece, a friend, a loved one of so very many of them, I'll toot their horn for them.

THANK YOU to each and every one of the myriad military members I've had the great honor to know in my life. You have helped make me a better person, you've helped make my country a better place to raise my children, and you've helped make the world a better place for everyone. There are not words enough to convey the depth of my appreciation, or thanks but to each and every one of you, I owe a deep debt for all you've done & all you'll do.

Thank you!

Thanksgiving football

2010-11-09T10:41:00.002-05:00

It don't look good for the Horns. The Aggies are gonna cream 'em & they're going to deserve to fail with the outright crap ball they've been playin' lately. The Aggies have had their issues too but their last game was impressive! UT, I can not say the same thing for y'all.

I know more than one Aggie who will be enjoying the tromping of the Horns (& more than one Horns supporter shaking their head in upset but understanding). Tsk, tsk, tsk ... que sera sera...

Roll back!

2010-11-06T23:08:00.001-04:00

Remember to "Fall Back" tonight at 0200. Roll those clocks back an hour!

AMC's The Walking Dead

2010-11-04T23:18:00.002-04:00

Watched the first episode of The Walking Dead on AMC. OMG IT IS AWESOME!!!!!!

The full pilot is available on-line for FREE. Its an hour & a half long but SOOOOOO worth it.

Love it, love it, LOVE IT!!!!

Mid terms 2010

2010-11-03T09:52:00.002-04:00

So I've been absent for a while but not gone, just not here.

Turned in before the election results were in for TX last night.

Perry was reelected - THAT SUCKS! We're stuck with the status quo for the next several years (I intensely dislike Rick Perry & his good ol' boy system). Expect more land grabs from poor farmers for the Trans-Texas Corridor (which I support the corridor, not the means its been used for) in favor of major contributors to his political coffers. Perry is NOT a servant of anyone but his own megalomania. I didn't support White either, they're both vipers in different suits is all...

Dist 23 in San Antonio - Ciro D. Rodriquez LOST. I'm very sorry for that. I don't always agree with him, but I can honestly say every time I've ever written to his office I get a response & I'm not talking some form letter. I mean an honest response explaining why he voted a certain way, or requesting more information or even a thanks for contacting him & agreeing with how he's voted. He's a good man & those are pretty damn rare to find in the political arena. I'm sorry to hear he lost. I've even gotten phone calls in Italy & here in VA on our Vonage line from his office. That's a hell of a public servant, a hell of a politician & he has my deepest respect & admiration for it. I hope his challenger, Francisco Canseco, can live up to that kind of a political servant. I see his defeat as a great loss to the people of Texas & he was a servant of all, not just a few.

That's about all I have to say on the TX elections.

As for the national ones, there's gonna be an awful lot of hand wringing in DC about how fickle the US voters are, how short sighted we are, how much messiah was doing good for people to stupid to know what's good for them. I'm hoping he gets his ass creamed come 2012 to drive the final nail through the coffin of his Obamacare & $800TRILLION deficits. I can always hope American voters remember how pissed they are now.

I hope the Republicans are smart enough to figure out this isn't support of them, but the election of the lesser of 2 evils. If not, 2012 will be a whole hell of a lot more interesting! This is repudiation of DC in general, not reinforcement of the 2 party system. It remains to be seen if those on the R side of the isle are smart enough to see it...

It seems that the Europeans are both trashing the Tea Party & embracing it depending on their ideologies. I hope they can use lessons from these elections to give power back to the people, that's where it ultimately belongs. I seem to be getting more & more jaded in my view of life & politics the older I get.

New blog

2010-10-16T23:09:00.002-04:00

I know, I know I never update this one, but I started a new blog - White Trash Crafts for all the goofy crafts I make. I'm shooting to upload one craft every week or two, with photos & instructions if anyone wants to try their own hand at making the goodies.

Oh, the White Trash part? Yea, that's a joke. Some uppity chick in Hampton called me White Trash when she couldn't win a verbal spat with my mom (that I had NOTHING to do with - wasn't even present for the spat).

Status, status what's going on

2010-05-11T09:17:00.004-04:00

Filled out my first Census form ever. Was NOT impressed at the available answers for genetic make-up. I'm not Caucasian, I do NOT have ties to Russia or even look like I'm from the Caucus mountains. I also despise the stupid "what kind of hispanic are you" question. Only hispanics get the full run down of options. Everyone else is pretty much lumped together. Also, since when are Middle Easterners WHITE? I've met many from different lands including Israel and they do NOT look white by any stretch of the color scale. So just to screw with them I marked all our genetic makeups & said we were "Texans" as our race. Just like what I put on my voter's registration card & my driver's license. When the government asks me stupid questions, I like to screw with them!

I'm starting the garden. Its a tiny bit late but I'm now on blood pressure meds so I have to limit my sun exposure. Considering last year's cold weather I *should* get about 2 harvest of most veggies and fruits in before the frost comes.

I'm working on starting a frog pond - again taking longer than I'd like due to sun sensitivity issues - as that is the last thing I need to do to set up our back yard as a Certified Wildlife Habitat with the National Wildlife Fund. I already know I get squirrels, rabbits, & several different kinds of birds. I've put up bat houses but so far no takers. I'm hoping to teach the kiddos about some of the world around them a bit more up close this summer.

We've got a new family member. Dottie is part chocolate lab, part whippet. She's only 35lbs but a wonderful dog. She likes her 2 mile morning walks and I'll be honest, I can use the exercise. The cat and she get along okay. I won't say they're fast friends yet but they'll secretly sleep on the couch together as long as no whoomans are watching them.

I've got some baby Robins under the back patio! They're ugly little things, really only a mother could love them they're that ... just homely little creatures. However I found them on Mother's Day so I guess I love them too.

So everything is moving along here in VA. I'm hoping everything is going well in cyberspace. Oh! Don't forget that Her Majesty, the QOAE has returned!

Comments & Overlords

2010-04-12T06:41:00.003-04:00

So I keep getting spam comments that I can't delete. So I've had to add comment captcha words again. I hate the stupid things but as Google is too busy telling those nasty little Chinese who want to know what's going on in the world that their wonderful, loving, all powerful murderous government doesn't want them to know things, it seems they've broken the coding for Blogger in the process. I can't delete crap comments & the stupid Blogger thing at the top of the screen isn't keeping me logged in but is recognizing I'm logged in as soon as I reclick "Sign In". For the foreseable future the words will remain on. Sorry.

We went to DC for 3 days at the end of last week. It was enjoyable, but expensive & we went dirt cheap. Couldn't get lodging because everyone was booked & for some weird reason Andrews AFB has NO TLF until May when they move into new digs for the billeting office. But, that's okay. We still got there & we'll be going back.

The Metro worked really well minus the Red line fire at Metro center on Friday. The trains were actually pretty clean, & not too terribly crowded (minus said fire & line disruption). We didn't make it to the National Zoo - too cold! but we did spend a whole day at the Air & Space museum & then the American History museum. Thursday we spent at the Mall. Saw all the monuments (didn't go in the Washington one, but saw it) & visited the Vietnam & Korea memorials. Got to say "thank you" to 2 gentlemen who fought in the Pacific in WWII at their memorial. They were both very young men when they helped liberate Asia & in the process helped liberate my great-grandfather so they deserved so much more than just my thanks but that's all I had to offer them.

If seeing your nation's capitol & thanking veterans doesn't make you tear up, nothing will. Even with the cesspool that is Congress in the background, I was still incredibly proud of my nation & what all its done in the world.

Einstein has a new home. He, well he snapped at one of the kids & that was strike 2 after biting the husband. We found a very lovely single lady who lives right on the beach. They enjoy each others' company & he's thriving. I'm glad he's happy & didn't have to get put down, but I'm sorta sorry to have seen him go. He's a good dog, just not the right one for us & we're not the right one for him. So we're back to a single pet family at the moment.

Por mi padre

2010-03-30T09:11:00.002-04:00

Per your request, photos of the under carriage. From the looks of it the exhaust has GOT to be replaced. I'm not sure about the actual pipes for the exhaust but I don't see any holes or corroded spots on them. I know with the weld they'll probably have to go anyway, but I see no outward signs of rust or corrosion besides being in a state that uses salt to melt ice & snow.

Life

2010-03-25T19:19:00.003-04:00

Ahh, some days it is sweet some days it is not.

Got a new RX for my glasses, now to get new glasses.

Van is now plated, woo hoo! Still needs work doing on it but we're getting there slowly but surely.

Have decided I'm getting too old to put up with some people's crap. Of course when said people told this I'm the bad guy. Ohs wells, still done with their crap.

Looking towards Spring Break. We're trying to get to DC to see the Smithsonian & the National Zoo. They're FREE!!! Free is Rhi's fav price! Clearance (pronounced "Klare ance" in your best hoity toity voice) is Rhi's bestest friend!

About 1/2 done with stripping the grass for the raised beds I'm putting in for the garden this year. High enough to hopefully not flood or float away.

Broke the wheel barrow while carting wet sod. Not best pleased with that one, but it was several years old so it did see some use before going to gardening tool heaven.

Looking at a Gorilla cart for the new one. Those are COOL! They're also pricey for my cheap butt so I may not get one, but I'm thinking the $$ in the short term is offset by the life time of use versus repeat replacing of cheaper ones. Still haven't convinced myself of that one.

Looking for ZOMBIE garden stuff. Like the little head & hands you put on the soil to make it look like one is climbing out of its grave. Hehehe, I lurve me some zombies.

I think, looking at some of these wurdz that I read LolCats a bit too much lately.

Trying to get US gov to agree that a culinary degree is a "mobile" career. Seems "makeup artist" is but "culinary arts" isn't as of yet. That is the height of gov stupidity.

Oh & I'm happy to have the post from the offered guest blogger. I shut down my yahoo e-mail for this account some time ago so I'll need to send you an e-mail from my account but I'm happy to share if it fits in with my bizarre ramblings.

Hope all is well in cyber land!

New Recipe

2010-03-16T14:08:00.002-04:00

I added a recipe for Butter at the recipe blog. I haven't fallen off the Earth, just busy living life.

Time to get back to prepping the garden. Hope all is well in cyberspace and IRL.

Goodbye Old Friend

2010-02-21T20:37:00.002-05:00

We just finished Parts 1 & 2 of "The End of Time". Alas, there is a new Doctor, at the loss of a beloved one.

He got to say goodbye this time, but that made it even the more bittersweet. While I wish Matt Smith a wonderful run as The Doctor, I'm actually mourning the loss of David Tennant. He was a BRILLIANT Dr. Who. He bested even my childhood favorite Baker. I wish him well in the future, even as the evil Barty Crouch Jr. in Harry Potter. For me he'll always be #10, but second to none.

MY New Van

2010-02-20T19:07:00.003-05:00

So we need to change our vehicles. The Dodge is too small for us now - we have 3 kids that will be the death of me yet & who need their space on long trips (or short trips, or quick errands, or ...) so we got me a new van. Not just ANY van mind you...

A 1985 Toyota Vanwagon! It's ALL MINE!!! The first car I've ever owned - MY name is on the paperwork. Woo Hoo! (Owning a vehicle should not excite me this much, but it really, really does.)

It might not look much now, but I can see what a beautiful, awesome work of art this van really is! I LOVE this van, even with it's problems (& its got some serious ones).

The interior is in pretty good nick for it being 25 years old. I don't demand much of the carpet & seats - I have 3 kids, things will spill & stain & just in general be used so I'm very forgiving in that department. There are no rips, tears, or general destruction of the inside. Its in fair to good condition for being a family vehicle from the mid 80s. I also don't know how long it was stored, or by what means, but there are no furry rodents or birds or the like so its all good.

Some views from the front. Pardon the angles, it just fits inside the garage with a little walking room to spare so its somewhat tight quarters with the camera.

Now the state of Virginia wants $4600 to 'fix' it to pass inspection. It would ace TX inspection easy peasy. Over $3000 of the 'fix' it cost is labor. Dude wants $200 to replace this tail light - $100 of it for the parts, $100 of it for 'labor'.

I consider tail lights, belts, filters, et cetera, to be standard operating items. Basically, I expect when buying a used vehicle to need to check (or replace) bulbs & light covers, brakes, belts, hoses & the like. Doubly so on a vehicle this ~~old~~ CLASSIC! However, there is NO reason the bulb & assembly would cost $100 or the labor (at $90 an hour) cost $100.

We've been given 6 pages of things to 'fix' - including (but very far from limited to):
Catalytic Converter & "COMPLETE" Exhaust system The converter was removed, it needs a new one but the pipes aren't leaking so I don't buy the "COMPLETE" system needing a replacement.

Transmission & Transaxl Um, WTF? It shifts fine, it remains in gear, it doesn't whine, it doesn't complain, it starts when its supposed to & doesn't when it's not (in Park versus Drive). My bullshit detectors are working overtime here.
Rack & Pinion Again, WTF? I drove it 800+ miles in 3 days, with all my kids in the vehicle wiggling around at times. There is NOTHING to indicate the rack & pinion is bad.

Differential WTF is all I can say.

Radiator The van does NOT overheat, there are no warning lights, sounds, or anything like it to indicate there is anything wrong with the radiator. It probably needs a drain & flush then refill but to completely replace it WHY? There are no explanations given, just list of what, how much parts, how much labor.

ENTIRE Brake system Again, 3 days, 2 snowstorms, 800+ miles. The breaks aren't the greatest & I'm sure the pads need replacing but the ENTIRE system? It's getting higher & deeper in shit here.

Shocks This one I can see it needing due to age & unsure care conditions. However, they want $250 for the parts, $233 for the labor. WTF?!?

Odds & Ends light bulbs & hoses & belts This falls under my standard maintenance thing, I have no issues with it needing doing but the prices they want for this is astronomical & ain't coming out of MY pocket!

Just a beautiful little Edelweiss I got on the drive home through Tennessee. There was even a man who took a photo of it when we pulled in to gas her up (she seems to be a her, not really a him & "it" doesn't fit the van's personality). Brought a smile to his face to see such a silly, but neat thing.

A little bit closer view.

So I have the van I want & I've definitely put it through its paces. I'm in lurve with it & can see what a wonderful friend & family member it has the potential to be. Now to find someone who can help me get her there.

2010-02-01T17:04:00.003-05:00

An update of sorts...

He liked the Pan Dulce (Conchitas, Conchas, etc). He said they aren't bad but aren't quite right so need to find some more recipes to try.

It snowed like crazy here (about 9 inches total) over the weekend.

People in this part of Virginia are apparently not used to the snow, they drive terribly!

I'm looking into Culinary school, just gotta come up with the $$$ - hint, hint to my unky Sam.

Pan Dulce

2010-01-19T03:16:00.003-05:00

Otherwise, more properly it seems, known as Concha! I don't like them, but I think for the 1st time making them I did fairly well. The proof is in the tasting though, so come the morning the kids & husband will let me know (I'm sure).

If it turns out they like them, I'll post the recipe on the recipe blog. If not, well I guess its back to the mixing bowl.

Flood 2.0

2009-12-18T23:37:00.001-05:00

We're expecting another flood, this one short notice but I'm not sure it falls under "flash". Everything is up & in the house again. Hopefully come tomorrow morning there's minimal flooding (high tides at 10am & after noon) but we're prepared for the worst.

A date which will live in infamy

2009-12-07T09:02:00.003-05:00

To the Congress of the United States:

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State of form reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government had deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces -- with the unbounded determination of our people -- we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.

68 years ago we were sucker punched. 68 years later, we still remember.

Today, when the bell tolls again, remember those young men & women who withstood the onslaught of hate & terror. Who got themselves up, bandaged their wounds, buried their dead, & fought with a righteous anger against an aggressor without the intestinal wherewithal to fight fair. A bully is a bully, no matter what their size. Their hallmarks are to strike in the dark, attack civilians, & lay waste without thought to the costs in innocent lives. We've fought bullies before, we fight bullies now & I have no doubt that they will soon meet the same fate which is far more merciful than that which they gave out.

Update

2009-11-23T06:50:00.002-05:00

New recipes (yesh, plural) on my Recipe Blog. Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

Oh, yesh, there's some slated for posting each day this week until Thanksgiving as a means to use those turkey left-overs.

Nov 2009 Flood

2009-11-13T16:13:00.007-05:00

We're fine. We've gotten past the worst of it. We had power & water the whole time, but we're flooded in. The house is dry and has been that way the whole time. The garage is a different story.

As the flood started, generally what happens when it rains here. Nothing big but we were already prepping.

The first high tide - 11/12 Nov
That gray shape in the upper-left corner is the garden shed. It sits outside the garage, by the side of the driveway. It will make another appearance soon.

The back yard

The garage
That big gray thing is the garden shed. It was trying to float away with everything in it (minus the mower & weedeater we'd already taken out to keep dry). We floated it into the garage instead. That was interesting to say the least.

The BIG high tide - 12Nov
Inside the garage again. Contrast with above to see the water difference in level & filthiness. Yeck!

The steps down from the house into the garage. Poquoson was severely damaged by Isabel when she tore through a few years ago so every building in town was raised off the foundation. We're a good 4 feet from the water to the actual hose so we were quite dry.

The cinder block line is the height of the water when Isabel came through, & the height the house was raised because of it. We were 1 full block short of that line, a good 9" or so.

Outside
The garage door half under water. Just means 1/2 is above water! It could be worse!
That black to white line is actually where the house proper is. Everything black is the cinder blocks. Everything white is the actual floor level for the house. Well above the water line.

The front steps - 4 of them lost to the water

Off the front porch into what was the yard but is now a small pond

13 Nov
Outside in the backyard

I did notice the squirrels (and maybe some birds) have found that there is still food in their feeder. At least that means some of them made it through as over the fence is a garden of creatures. Glad to know some of them will be back again when it dries out a little.

Down the back steps - at least now you can see the ground!

Out the front side of the house
Where the garden shed belongs, but not where it is!

We now know where in the garage we can start installing more (& bigger) shelves & hooks to put things on. The high water mark if you will. All the stuff that moved is in the sun room/dining room. We'll get a high pressure washer & scrub down the walls & floor & outside of the house before moving anything back in. I see this as a blessing of sorts. We stayed dry & we now know we planned well & can build on that planning for the future.

Happy Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T22:46:00.001-05:00

Thanks to all my readers who have served, or are serving. You deserve more than 1 day a year to hear THANK YOU!

Happy Birthday

2009-11-10T13:18:00.002-05:00

234 years young, and still the pride of the American people & the scourge of those who seek her destruction. Happy Birthday Marines! OORAH!

Sad Day

2009-11-06T08:59:00.002-05:00

Ft. Hood, largest military base on the planet, was attacked by one of its own. Ft Hood, shocked & in mourning & looking for answers to a horrible massacre at the hands of a mass murderer.

For my non-Texans, Ft Hood is the big ol red dot between San Antonio & Dallas. I find it only a little odd that Austin isn't found on that map. Killeen is also not on the map & it sits right outside Ft. Hood.

Yesterday was a terrible day, but I hope today begins the upward climb to recovery for those injured, healing for those mourning, & punishment for those guilty of such deprived acts of cold-blooded murder on unarmed men & women preparing to deploy in the service of their nation.

These will be challenging times ahead for III Corps & all her units (including) First Army Division West, 1st Cavalry Division, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, 41st Fires Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, & the 89th Military Police Brigade.

Soldiers Angels have set up a collection drive for those wounded & the children of those present.

RIGHT NOW: Collecting encouraging notes and NEW stuffed animals for the families and children of the injured or killed. Please send cards/letters and stuffed animals (and anything NEW that may brighten the life of a child) to:
Soldiers' Angels
4408 PanAm Expressway
San Antonio, TX 78218

If you can give your life blood for those men & women who give you theirs, please DONATE! The local hospitals have an urgent need for more blood. Even hospitals as far afield as Ft. Worth have sent blood & must replenish their stocks so if you can, give blood today.

Don't forget to fly her at Half Staff until Sunday, by order of the Governor & common sense & decency.

Enough with 2012!

2009-10-16T10:21:00.004-04:00

Ugh. I hate doomsday predictions, and I hate chicken littles. Combine the two and you're in for a world of scorn and ridicule! Graft that stupidity onto an ancient calendar and we're reaching levels of animosity reserved for only the most insidious perpetrators of arrogant Western though.

The world WILL NOT END in 2012! The damn Maya say so, their calendar says so, astronomers say so, archaeologists say so, and so does the dang Bible! No amount of morons looking for star happenings in galaxies light years away, no number of dumbass hollyweird movies, or Discovery Channel specials will change that!

Look here, I may be a pagan and be quite proud of it but even I remember the Bible. Yea, that pesky little frame work so very few who espouse Christianity ACTUALLY follow. Its followers have been screaming Armageddon and the end of the world since 34 CE. They don't have such a good track record with the end of the world and all.

Then we have the sandwich board loons. The "END IS NIGH" kind of folks. The Y2Kers, the Hale-Bop comet crazies, and the like. The ones who screamed that Bird Flu, then Swine Flu would be the eradication of humanity. If only it was, to get rid of the likes of them!

Seriously folks, its time to put down the funky purple kool-aid and get a grip!

Mankind can not possibly fathom the end of the world. I have no idea when it will happen, but I'm perfectly okay with saying Dec. 2012 ain't it. The fact a cycle in a millenial old calendar comes to a close on that date does not equate to the end of the world. If I know you and you espouse this belief, expect an ass beating come 2013, because I will be around and you will be a moron in need of a boot up side your behind!

Um,...

2009-10-09T16:11:00.004-04:00

I can't think of a title, I'm suffering mommy/pcs brain. Yeah, that's it! I'll go with that excuse.

The kids are in school. The oldest is already sliding on the path of not doing work & lying to mommy & daddy/teachers about homework. Note to child, I can log into your online school and see all your homework, and your grades. We have a conference next week and I'm ready to take her out of band. If she won't do her basic, core subjects of English, Social Studies, Science & Math then I can't in good conscience see her participating in after school fun activities. Of course I don't want to take her out of band, but its her choice of her behavior not mine. I will make her tow the line.

Middle one is doing well. I'm still not done with painting her bed. She's got the Iliad, the Odyssey, & the Aenid. She's got a few god/goddess symbols, and even some Dr. Who but I've got more drawn out & as yet unpainted. Life gets in the way sometimes...

Nox (aka Nyx), Eye of Horus, Hypnos

The Iliad - pretty clear depiction of the Trojan War in my opinion.

The Odyssey

The Aenid

The complete Trojan War as told by Homer & Virgil

(Why the Aenid & Odyssey & Iliad you ask? The child has read them all! She loves mythology and wanted to read them. More power to her I say, she's read more books, than most adults, on the subject.)

The Doctor makes an appearance. Or well, the TARDIS, his helpers, & his enemies.

The youngest heathen is doing well. We REALLY miss our Speech Therapist from Aviano. The one here is lovely, don't get me wrong, but totally not the same personality. Youngest is doing fine with it & enjoying school but we still miss those friends we left in Italy.

The krat & dog now get along just fine. They chase each other round the house on a nightly basis, she stalks him, he jumps like on a trampoline & she gives him evil looks. He's a member of the family when he gets the evil stink eye from the krat! They even share their food dishes nicely & show concern for each other so we think they're a good fit.

The dog has some new clothes. No I did NOT teach him to wear them. He came with 1 little sweater he loves. I can't even say clothes, I must spell it as he knows that word and goes looking for them when you say it. He's got a styling jacket, & a little back warmer poncho like thing, & a set of shoes (since there's 4 I don't think that's a pair...). I'm trying to decide what to dress him as for Halloween. He will be staying inside come trick-or-treat as he's not been well socialized & still likes to bark too much, but he's a good dog that just needs a little more help on the friendly meter.

The garden is dying back. Totally expected it as its been decidedly cooler in the mornings. Got nada from it this year except 1 zucchini (how is 1 even possible?? They're like the rabbits of the plant world!). Oh well, started it late and didn'e expect it to produce much so that's okay. Compost is ready to go down but I'll lay it in a bit, after the plants die back & I dump some horse manure & soil for a raised one for next year.

Okay, life calls. Until next time.

Introducing ...

2009-09-18T16:20:00.005-04:00

Einstein!

He's a "schnack" we adopted. Part Schnauzer, part Jack Russell terrier. He's not jumpy, he's not barky. He got the best of both worlds. He has not an Alpha bone in his little body - if you try to play tug-of-war with his tug toy, he gives it to you and lays down. He's a good dog though, and we look forward to a very long life with the family.

Nicole doesn't quite know what to do ...

2009-09-11T00:56:00.002-04:00

Today we remember.

Today saw man's extreme inhumanity to man, his desires of death and carnage for nothing other than evil sport for evil minds.

Today we remember.

Today saw death cross the land like a bird upon the wind, blown by evil winds, and swallow men up by the thousands belching fire and reining debris as it slaked its thirst for blood.

Today we remember.

Today we watched as our extended family suffered a loss none could comprehend, none could imagine.

Today we remember.

Today, we sat horrified at the view of our compatriots as they fell to their deaths, at the hands of brutal men who would make themselves our masters through fear and terror and blood.

Today we remember.

Today, oh but today, we saw the kindness and love and honor and compassion of those wounded, bloodied, and broken to care for their fellows who had received such grievous wounds at the hands of brutal thugs too terrified to fight on level ground.

Today we remember.

Today my people bled, today my people mourn, today my people are roused to righteous anger for the horrors given to innocent souls.

Today, we remember.

Today we steel ourselves to carry the burden that no man can share with us, no man understand.

Today we remember.

Today we awaken a stronger nation, we rise as the phoenix from the ashes of our wounds.

Today we remember.

I'm alive....

2009-09-11T00:07:00.002-04:00

I haven't succumb to lack of oxygen on top of the mountain of boxes still in the house. I haven't been eaten alive by the mosquitoes (though they give it a good try each night). I haven't had to call in Noah when the tide comes in either. Just been busy living life.

The kids have started school, I've been painting furniture (which I'm still not done with), and we've been getting settled in.

We're looking to find a new dog. We put our beloved Buddy to sleep in July. His body was too old and tired to keep up with his spirit so we made the tough choice and let him go peacefully instead of in pain. We're not quite ready to adopt again just yet, but we'll be going to the Petsmart adoption fair this weekend in Newport News & Virginia Beach & Norfolk (maybe Portsmouth as well). We've been to a couple shelters already and its heartbreaking to leave all those wonderful animals in cages because we know they just aren't the right fit for us (or us for them). If you need a new pet - PLEASE ADOPT!! Those shelter animals have had some horrible things happen to them in their lives, and every one of them deserves to go to a loving home. Please, please, I beg you spay & neuter your pets and ADOPT ones, don't go to breeders if at all possible.

To all you military personnel out there that pull that damn "we're moving and can't take" excuse to abandon their animals... SHAME ON YOU!! You're not worth the love and affection of the animals you abandon! A pet is FOR LIFE! A pet is FAMILY! You don't leave your kid when you PCS, you don't leave your PET! Lazy bastards! Plan to take the whole family, or don't subject the poor animal to being abandoned in the first place. There are times I'm deeply ashamed of the military and its members.

Short of that, all goes well at our end. Hopefully it goes the same for my readers.

USO Rocks!

2009-08-24T01:38:00.002-04:00

We were treated to a free concert, care of the USO, at NAB Little Creek Friday evening. While the traffic to get there was INSANE, the concert was worth it.

Not the greatest photos I know, but I was just stoked to get to see Gretchen Wilson in concert. SUPPORT THE USO if you can! We support them on a regular basis, and they've always been there when we need them. They support the troops, and the troops definitely support them.

I also strongly suggest you support those who support the troops - be they entertainers like Ms. Wilson (yea, great concert!) or corporate sponsors like Coca-Cola & others who help the USO complete its mission.

Coming up for air

2009-08-14T10:08:00.002-04:00

So the Household Goods are here. My house looks like a war-torn corner of Baghdad, or a cheap flea market with all the boxes and un-assigned stuff lying around.

3 beds are built (2 all by myself! - yes, I'm proud of that). The middle heathen wants her's painted black and grey so I can't put it together until after it stops raining, I get it sanded and painted, then dried. Have I mentioned it seems like monsoon season here in Virginia?

We've got family inbound on Saturday. At least the living/dining/kitchen/office areas are ready for visitors/habitation. The girls rooms not so much...Our room, not at all. Our bed is together but that's about it bud.

We own too much crap! I'm throwing away boxes worth after going through them on un-pack. But, its moving along at a slow pace, but moving none the less.

Hope all have a good weekend! I'll be 31 on Sunday and all I want is a hand-dipped DQ cone. :)

Boxes, boxes, and more boxes

2009-08-06T09:35:00.004-04:00

My whole world isn't made up of boxes, but I'll be danged if it doesn't seem that way sometimes. Unaccompanied Baggage came in yesterday. Household Goods today and tomorrow. I have the plan of this time next week the house being put away properly even if I have to be a mean task master where the hubby and kids are concerned.

I did pull a bonehead and forget to get the guys some bottled water. I've got sodas, ice, tea, and cups but I forgot the water. I'll pick some up today so they can have it later. We'll buy lunch for them tomorrow and I'll pick up some donuts or something as well.

Perception

2009-07-31T21:41:00.001-04:00

If race relations have come along so far, why do people keep harping on what race the President is? If its so very unimportant, shouldn't he fail or succeed on who he is, what decisions he makes, instead of playing the race card constantly??

Hot Damn!

2009-07-29T17:57:00.003-04:00

We got a race for Governor!

Cream that sorry sack of bulldung Perry! Give us a good show, and a great governor! Kay Bailey Hutchison!

I ain't dead yet!

2009-07-21T13:11:00.000-04:00

Still waiting on Unaccompanied Baggage, Household Goods, and all the fun things that moving brings. Can't set up the house without the furniture, so we're living like vagabonds at the moment. Oh well, there are worse fates in life.

Almost done enrolling the heathens in school. They'll need physicals which won't be for another week then we're done. Got most of their school supplies so far as well.

Things are moving along nicely. Hope all is well in blogger land (Boyd! Update your blog! Puleeze?)

We have somewhere to live!

2009-07-02T16:16:00.002-04:00

A fabulous somewhere, and we're leasing from a US Army Col. so we're good in the military lifestyle.

We've signed a lease, in the town I wanted so the girls will go to some of the best schools in Virginia.

I've finished transferring the utilities, so now we need to get a washer/dryer and fridge and we're good to go. I'll upload pics as soon as possible.

I can't express the sheer joy of having somewhere other than a hotel to live.

We're Here...

2009-06-26T20:34:00.001-04:00

VA, fear us! Hehe.

We're in Hampton, we've got a hotel, we've got the truck back, we've returned the rental, the pets are alive and well somewhat happy, the kids are alive and mommy and daddy are too.

Next up to find a house. Let's say the one at Langley is um, well, I've never seen 8 Senior NCOs (to include two Chiefs) crammed into one building. Unless that puppy has an engorgement charm or is hiding the TARDIS, there's no way in hell it has 4 bedrooms big enough for my family.

Off to WAL-MART!!!

Happy Birthday USA

2009-06-14T06:50:00.001-04:00

234 years old, and still doing a heck of a job! Happy Birthday to America's Army!

I found something of interest in DC

2009-06-11T00:53:00.002-04:00

It isn't there yet, but I wanna go when they get there.

Bombshell Betty's Pinup Workshop.

I love having eclectic friends that do out of the ordinary things. Life is so much more interesting that way.

The house, the house, the house is...

2009-06-05T16:45:00.002-04:00

Packed. 12 1/2 crates, and 2 days later my goods are on a truck somewhere in Italy heading to VA. Yay!!!! 2 more weeks and I'm on the way too!

Clarification

2009-05-29T15:08:00.002-04:00

For my beloved Boyd. *Update your blog! Purty pleeze?*

Can't run until I'm 35, which happens in 2013. I would be the VP mate.

Some stances on the issues...

1. No perks for office. Cattle car, no 1st class crap. Fast food, no 5* restaurants. If you don't want to foot the bill, why the hell should the tax payer?

2. Term limits on Congress. If they want only 2 terms for the Pres, they only get 2 terms. (I'm personally against term limits but if its good for the goose, its good for the gander.)

3. Congress would be salary capped at the same amount the Pres gets. They wouldn't be allowed to vote a pay raise without a Federal ballot to the voters. Keeps 'em more honest if they have to ask to get more money for not giving any more services.

4. Mandatory 2 years of service to your nation. The military is NOT an option - ie, you could join but not for 2 years, keep enlistments at what they currently are length wise. If you serve, you avoid the 2 year commitment, but you commit to more time that way. You could build roads, string power lines, clean streets, install drainage pipes, run irrigation lines, et cetera as forms of service to your nation.

5. Pay raise for the military, NOT tied to inflation so you're just above poverty level.

6. Flat tax rate - 10-15% off the top. Removal of tax shelters, and implementation of punishment via heavy fines for hiding funds in off-shore accounts, Swiss numbered accounts, et cetera. Total chucking of the 'tax code' currently in use.

7. Removal of ALL perks for those out of office - no security, no free rides, no nada. The military has to bust ass for 20 years to get retirement benefits, why the hell should a politician that sits on their ass get anything after only 8 years?

8. No gifts from anyone over $300. The US military lives by this rule, why the hell should an elected official with more money get a pass on ethics?

9. A serious issue is why are the 'servants' being paid more than their masters?

10. Raising the military and teachers to the status they belong on - why are those who lay their lives down, and educate your young worth less $$ wise than fake tits and fat cats?

Does that help? :D

Machinations to office

2009-05-29T02:16:00.002-04:00

Oh my fellow American patriots, harken well and tell me your thoughts.

If 2 women ran for office (1 black, 1 white), with military backgrounds and world travel. Polyglots both, historians, and deeply service orientated. Mother and Maiden, strong on the military, and internal issues.

Would you vote for them?

Ahhh, knowledge

2009-05-26T09:43:00.003-04:00

I love acquiring it, and I see it as a goal to learn something new every day. With the help of a fellow blogger, far more knowledgeable than I, I've learned several new things and re-enforced other things.

May I have the honor of introducing Paleoglot? The man is near to a fount of Etruscan knowledge, though I got to him through analysis of the Piacenza liver. His analysis is very well reasoned, though many of the technicalities of Etruscan language escape me.

I suggest you have a good root around his archives, they're really interesting. He also uses tags much more efficiently than I do. For anyone who desires a deeper understanding of linguistics and proper study of them versus what's sold to many a college student of the modern world, he is a breath of fresh air. For the layman, he may be too technical but fall back to learning something new every day, a term perhaps?, and you'll be able to understand him and rationally look at proto constructions of language with a critical and more informed eye and ear.

Memorial Day

2009-05-24T18:01:00.000-04:00

In Flanders Field - John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Dirge for Two Veterans - Walt Whitman

THE last sunbeam
Lightly falls from the finish'd Sabbath,
On the pavement here, and there beyond it is looking,
Down a new-made double grave.

Lo, the moon ascending,
Up from the east the silvery round moon,
Beautiful over the house-tops, ghastly, phantom moon,
Immense and silent moon.

I see a sad procession,
And I hear the sound of coming full-key'd bugles,
All the channels of the city streets they're flooding,
As with voices and with tears.

I hear the great drums pounding,
And the small drums steady whirring,
And every blow of the great convulsive drums,
Strikes me through and through.

For the son is brought with the father,
(In the foremost ranks of the fierce assault they fell,
Two veterans son and father dropt together,
And the double grave awaits them.)

Now nearer blow the bugles,
And the drums strike more convulsive,
And the daylight o'er the pavement quite has faded,
And the strong dead-march enwraps me.

In the eastern sky up-buoying,
The sorrowful vast phantom moves illumin'd,
('Tis some mother's large transparent face,
In heaven brighter growing.)

O strong dead-march you please me!
O moon immense with your silvery face you soothe me!
O my soldiers twain! O my veterans passing to burial!
What I have I also give you.

The moon gives you light,
And the bugles and the drums give you music,
And my heart, O my soldiers, my veterans,
My heart gives you love.

Never Underestimate

2009-05-20T11:33:00.002-04:00

The power of a child. George Boon, one of the fathers of Romano-British archaeology and a force to be reckoned with in the archaeological community, wrote many letters supporting the protection of Roman remains in Britain following WWII. A series of them have been found in the archives of Bristol, and they're very well written for an 11 year-old boy, but you can read the drive and determination quite clearly.

Just a note

2009-05-19T14:02:00.002-04:00

This is just a quick note to the lady I saw while I was waiting at Taco Bell for lunch today.

You are way too beautiful to be crying over someone saying you weigh too much. The kind of soul and mind you showed is far better than some vapid little airhead who's more worried about what number is in your jeans than the heart you've got.

Warning!

2009-05-11T13:02:00.002-04:00

For your own health and mental well being, do NOT ask me "what's your problem" or any variation of it. I will tell you, and chances are you won't like it. Just for future reference.

Playing for Change

2009-05-02T06:19:00.002-04:00

You don't have to agree with everything they say, or stand for, but they've gathered together some fantastic world musicians in their "Playing for Change" series.

Stand by Me

If you ever want to hear someone channeling Bob Marley ins spirit and power, One Love is for you.

There is a series of other videos, and where you can buy the disk and singles.

Commnuicable Disesase 101

2009-04-27T01:29:00.002-04:00

Good morning class! Today we're going to discuss the futility of using a surgical mask to shield you from the flu! If you're wearing one, it will NOT (repeat, NOT) protect you from, or prevent you from getting, the flu. Not human flu, not avian flu, not swine flu. Just because Asians wear them doesn't make it good hygiene, or disease prevention practice.

If the Spanish Lady has again come to dance, you're just as safe without one on, and you won't look like a moron who doesn't grasp the basics of virus size versus porousness of a cloth. Oh, she's the "Spanish Lady" because Spain was not a belligerent nation during WWI and actually published the fact there was a flu rampaging and laying waste to it's people. As the belligerents didn't list their death tolls (or even that they had the sickness) an estimated 40 MILLION (at least) died during her last visit. Mother Nature's population control at it's finest - kill all the breeding age adults (20-40) while NOT killing most children or elderly as a normal flu. I am a pessimist, I'm 30. We're overdue for a Pandemic, too.

Repeat after me - the best way to keep yourself from getting the flu is to use good hygiene practices like washing/sanitizing your hands on a regular basis. Covering your cough or sneeze with your elbow to prevent it getting on your hand. Abstain from hand shaking to prevent transfer. Avoid large gatherings such as movie theaters and other enclosed areas. Walk on the sidewalk if possible instead of riding in a subway car or bus if you must venture out.

If you're sick, STAY HOME! Do not spread the disease by wanton lack of hygiene. You won't earn yourself any friend, or influence people.

For the surprise pop quiz, were you paying attention?

How many died (at least) during the last Pandemic?

Why was it called the "Spanish Lady"?

Who were (and are) the most likely candidates to die?

Will a surgical mask keep you from getting sick?

I'll give you extra credit if you can tell me the percentage of the world's population that died during the "Spanish Lady's" outbreak.

Well sumbitch ...

2009-04-23T16:40:00.003-04:00

Rick Nelson's "Garden Party" album is one hard sumbitch to come by! YouTube is useless as well, I can ONLY find "Garden Party" from that album, none of his other songs in any form. Blech.

1. "Let It Bring You Along"
2. "Garden Party"
3. "So Long Mama"
4. "I Wanna Be With You"
5. "Are You Really Real?"
6. "I'm Talking About You" (Chuck Berry)
7. "Night Time Lady"
8. "Flower Opens Gently By"
9. "Don't Let Your Goodbye Stand" (Richard Stekol)
10. "Palace Guard"

I have yet to locate a copy over here anywhere! No USAFE library has a copy of it, and I really don't want to pay and arm and a leg for an LP that I can't play (no turntable).

It isn't like he's some child molesting criminal, head shaving druggie, or lunatic diva! No, sadly, he just passed to early in life and was a good singer (don't know about showman). It seems in the 'modern' world if you have any genuine talent, you're to be shoved out the door as soon as possible, and have dust fall on your LPs, and have your voice silenced. I mean, come on! No real human would want to hear someone who can sing without a drum machine, or fake vocals!

Yeesh! People wonder why we're stuck with "do buffaloes have wings" kind of stupid? Because vapid heads, crappy vocal cords, and big tits is all that's required by most consumers. I'm genuinely ashamed of American 'culture' and the fact a bimbo with no talent (other than kissing a chick with chapstick) can outshine a man who truly had talent is depressing.

I'm off to YouTube the stupid away ... It might take a while. It seems 'culture' has left a bad taste in my mouth, and a horrible ringing in my ears.

An Auspicious Day

2009-04-21T09:58:00.003-04:00

I didn't even pay a haruspex either!

Today is the accepted founding of Rome in 753 BCE. Today is the greatest win of the Texican Revolution - San Jacinto! Two of my greatest loves connected in their greatness on one day!

I hope your day is wonderful, and don't go reading entrails ...

1 down, 1 to go, 1 to fail

2009-04-20T01:33:00.002-04:00

Haha, I'm sure my dad gets the title joke.

I finished one of my 'homework' assignments. I make my kids continue learning over the summer. There is no such thing as "summer slump" in our house, nor was there one in my childhood home, or my mom's, or back and back. I do not allow my children to vegetate for the summer. I believe in continuing to expand their mind and horizons. However, my middle child seems to take this not so much in stride. She complained to my dad (hi daddy!) that it wasn't fair that I could give them homework, but that I never had to do any. Ooooh, the things the child doesn't realize at this age.

So, my father gave me 3 pieces of 'homework', to be done by the time we reached TX. Sadly, we will not be able to take leave in conjunction with our PCS, so we will be traveling directly to VA. However, I have still been working on my 'homework'.

My three subjects were - read Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith; listen to a copy of "Garden Party" by Rick Nelson; listen to Rush (not Limbaugh though he's just as bad imo).

I've finished Gorky Park. Very good book, very very Soviet like. I've got the next one (Arctic Star) on order from the library up at Ramstein. I will say the ending is not what I expected (much gorier than), but very open-ended and not at all to my tastes. I'm hoping with the next one that the open endedness of it feeds well into the next part of the story.

Rick Nelson is NOT any easy artist to get a cd of. He's in that la-la land of musical history in which no one copies his stuff for dubbing into movies, and very few cds were made of his lp masters. I'm working on it though, so ... And I do NOT use Apple iTunes as they want to do everything in Euro and Italian based on my IP and I have no desire as an American to be forced to use a foreign language and foreign (read much more expensive) currency.

I will NOT listen to Rush. I would rather fail that 'assignment' than subject my tender head and ears to that drivel.

Accomplished

2009-04-18T07:15:00.002-04:00

I feel like that, at least for the moment. I've got PCS wheel's up dates, billeting dates, housing pre and final out inspection dates. I've got Medical Clearance paperwork, I've got Hard Copy Orders. I've got a truck shipping date, and a date for FMO to drop off loaner furniture. I've got a date to get our household shipment, and unaccompanied baggage, dates. Yeah, yeah my husband did most of that but I put in a fair amount of leg work too.

I just typed up our housing request for the gaining base now I only need to fax it.

I've typed my PTA newsletter, board meeting minutes, I've made all the beanbags for our upcoming carnival (though I need to sew a few more closed). I've finished the new Nomination Forms for the incoming board nominations.

So now I sit, somewhat vegging. Our PCS is moving along smoothly, though we won't be going to TX as hoped. We will go directly to VA, with no leave in conjunction. Now, just a few more things to stress over, but other than that things are coming together nicely. Yay!

Back from

2009-04-13T08:50:00.004-04:00

The Phlegraean Fields. While I didn't meet Dis Pater, or get to see the Sybil in action in Cumae, I had a good trip.

As of now my card reader is misbehaving so I can't upload any of the 3 gig of photos I took of the region, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, Stabae or the other regions but I have lots of photos.

I took a friend on a "private tour" of Pompeii. We happened to both go to Naples (her first time) with the families and she wanted to see the dead people in Pompeii. So, I took them to the Suburban Baths, the Casa Ara Massima, Casa del Principe de Napoli, Casa Amorini Dorati, & Casa del Menandro in 7 hours. I also got to visit the ancient herbalist in Pompeii for some Lavender perfume, and some honeysuckle oil and even some cooking goods. I also made a point of paying homage to the Lares in all the shrines I found. A pox on those that would take the offering to the gods!

Hopefully they enjoyed the trip, even if I did keep them awhile. Oh, and for the record they've closed the cafes in Pompeii's & Herculaneum's Scavii. That sucks butt as they both had bathrooms, though they did open up a few new goodies in Herculaneum (but the Villa of the Papyri is still closed for excavations).

I got to see Roman Hell (technically the entrance to the Roman Underworld). Saw what's claimed to by the Sybil's cave at Cumae (I highly doubt it), the Temple of Zeus, and the Temple of Apollo (I would think the caves in the region of the Apollo would be where the Sybil was). Cuma wasn't a bad trip, but not much of it survives sadly. I also paid homage to Apollo and Zeus, though not to the 'Sybil's cave'. Again, a pox upon those that would disrespect the offering!

I'll upload pics as soon as I can access them via my finicky card reader.

Nefertiti

2009-03-31T14:52:00.003-04:00

The beautiful one has come. Indeed.

Nefertiti's real face found?

Even after 3300 years we can't leave her alone. She's one of the great beauties of history, and her sculpted head exerts a power over modern man that few can rival. Sadly I've never gotten to Berlin to see her, but even in photo form she is beautiful to behold. No wonder her titles include "Heiress, Great of Favours, Possessed of Charm, Exuding Happiness, Mistress of Sweetness, beloved one, soothing the king's heart in his house, soft-spoken in all, Mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt, Great King's Wife, whom he loves, Lady of the Two Lands, Nefertiti'". Yeah, any wonder why Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) is considered the author of many of the Bible's songs of love and wonder in the Old Testament? What man on the planet would describe his wife in such a way in this day and age?

Anyhoo, the folks in Berlin believe they may have found Nefertiti's 'real' face on the limestone bust. It's a very interesting though that in ancient Egypt you never died as long as someone remembered you. Considering the millions that know her face and name today, millenia after her disappearance from Egyptian history, one would be inclined to say the ancients had it right.

¡Recuerde Goliad!

2009-03-27T02:42:00.004-04:00

Today is yet another infamy of Mexican aggression at the instigation of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. 400+ unarmed men many of which were wounded, men promised the protection of their captors, men told they were being marched to safe quarters as prisoners of war, were gunned and bayoneted on the roads leading out of Goliad, Texas. To disgrace themselves even more, the human monsters did it on Easter Sunday in 1836.

Yet another mass murder - a brutal Massacre - puts more Texican blood on Mexican hands. The battle for Independence is coming to an end ...

¡Recuerdo Goliad! Do you?

I don't need no stinking title

2009-03-22T08:36:00.002-04:00

Actually, I can't think of one so here we go.

Had fun at my Hafla last night. I'm very sad to see my friend go, even though I'm terribly excited for her and wish her a wonderful life in all her future adventures. At least I know I'll have someone to stay with if we ever go to the west coast.

Sometimes it seems my good friends PCS as soon as we get here, and then I get new ones right before we leave. All the rest of the time I'm stuck with back-stabbing bitches who are passive-aggressive. Eh, one of the not fun parts of the military life.

I'm waiting for June 1st. On that day, I get to tell certain people to kiss my bright white ass. I am greatly looking forward to it.

Updated the recipe blog with recipes (several of which are reposts, but many more are shiny and new!) I've even set up recurring posts so you'll get a new recipe every week - on Monday. Yay me!

Off to make chalk with the heathens. I hope your weekend has been relaxing and recharging. I know mine has.

Suckity, suck, suck, suck

2009-03-18T17:02:00.002-04:00

I hate putting up with adults that behave more like spoilt brats than adults. Seriously, there may be problems but backstabbing and only bitching instead of helping won't get any of us anywhere. It will serve to piss many of us that buckle down and get it done off though.

Do NOT volunteer, and get elected for an office and then whine constantly that you work "so hard and no one notices". When I can tell you how many meetings you've skipped, how many days you haven't helped out, and how many people you've pissed off with your whining you're not doing yourself any favors.

If someone volunteers to chair something, it is NOT a democracy. Anyone under that chair answers to the chairperson. If you don't like it, suck it the FUCK up! Your lazy ass didn't want the job, so stick your over-critical shit back up your ass and save us all having to listen to it.

Certain people can play with STUPID better than I can. I do not tolerate, or attempt to work with STUPID. I feel sorry for those of you who can deal with it, but I will go nuclear if this crap doesn't stop and soon!

I won't be taking part in the upcoming belly dance show. 1000E estimates to fix my truck kill my savings. Have I said lately I HATE ITALY? I really, really do!

I will not be anyone's charity case, or in debt if I can help it. If I can't buy it or do it myself, it doesn't need buying or doing. As honestly nice as I believe the offer way, I will not accept it for any reason. I was raised with a moralistic code that if you can't/won't do it yourself, you have no need/right to expect someone else to do it for you, or give it to you.

You may call me "hard", "hard ass", "bitch" or any variety of those and I will not disagree with you. I am who I am, and I make no apologies for it, nor will I attempt to change who I am to make you happy.

A sad day

2009-03-16T14:01:00.003-04:00

In Texas history. Edward Clark usurped the rightful place of Sam Houston as Governor of the great State of Texas. Sam wouldn't swear allegiance to the Confederacy, so he was shat upon by the democrats of his day. One would say their party isn't much changed from the days of illegal removal from office those that stood up for the good of the people.

I'm sorry they treated you like that Mr. Houston. You deserved better. Texas deserved better.

The Runaway Scrape

2009-03-11T18:11:00.003-04:00

Sam Houston abandoned Gonzales, and fled from the advance of brutal dictator and mass murderer Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. It would be two days until Houston learned of the Fall of the Alamo from Mrs. Dickinson, then all out panic would spur the Texicans to flee.

Gonzales was burned to the ground to prevent it falling into Mexican hands. Many more towns, villages, and farms were burned in a scorched earth campaign to deny the Mexican army food, and pillage.

While even now debate rages as to if Houston was trying to lead Santa Anna into a trap on the Louisiana border, it is clear Santa Anna had a well earned reputation as a man that would mass murder, mutilate, and massacre those who opposed him. As the Texian army fled, it left settlements unprotected, so the settlers were smart enough to run to save their skins.

The Texas War of Independence is picking up speed. Soon it will come to a head, but there are dark deeds yet to be seen before Texas will be free of Mexican aggression.

Princess Farhana

2009-03-11T17:50:00.002-04:00

One of the best professional dancers in the states that I've found. Watch the woman's abs, very carefully. I so wish I had that kind of muscle control. One day, I will, but for now I bow to a much more skilled performer.

Her "Mother Of Pearl" dance. Captures her personality so well. She does great dvds too! Again, pay close attention to her stomach region ...

March 6, 1836

2009-03-06T03:57:00.005-05:00

A hallowed and bloody day in Texas history. Today, shorting after 6am Texas time, Mission San Antonio de Valero had fallen to the Mexican Army. Brave men fought and bled to free Texas from the yoke of Mexican dictatorial aggression. They weren't perfect, some were downright scoundrels, but in the act of giving their lives for a cause of liberty, and in the defense of a nation they are forever remembered as heroes.

Many died in the open air of the mission grounds. Many died stinking, horrible, hot deaths in the long barracks and the chapel. They freeze in the winter and boil in the summer. God alone could stand the stench of gunpowder, blood, sweat, and death in those rooms 173 years ago.

There are arguments even now as to what happened to some of the more famous defenders. If they survived, wounded, they didn't live long. Santa Anna records that he had them executed after the battle. That just means the grave injustice of Santa Anna was compounded by a massacre of injured, unarmed men.

He had the indignity of a mass body burn added to their brutal deaths. The story goes that the ashes are in San Fernando Cathedral. I'd think they weren't, Santa Anna had control of San Antonio for too long for them to have been safely salvaged and given a respectful burial. It isn't outside the realms of the possible, but I'm dubious.

The mission lays silent now, though she'll soon see more tour groups, school groups, and tourists. But once, many years ago she played an integral part in the history of the birthing of a Republic. She is a powerful symbol, the Shrine of Texas Liberty. She's served us well for many years, from the time the Spaniards were trying to convert the Indians, to war, and to peace and prosperity. So today, on a sacred day in Texas history, I wish you all freedom, liberty, and justice.

Some pet peeves, and some stupid things that make me happy

2009-03-05T16:07:00.004-05:00

Yeah, I got a menagerie - and I'm not talking a bad Tennessee Williams play.

If it's rainy and you can't drive 30 kph (about 18.5mph), you don't need to be on the road. You do not take a ridiculously low speed limit, divide it by 2 and then find it's square root to get the speed you drive. 30 really does mean 30! Ugh.

If you ever submit recipes to one of the fundraiser style cookbooks - PROOFREAD the recipe! Then do it again, before you submit it. Please! Those of us who type the recipes in will appreciate it.

Weather gods, northern Italy has plenty of rain. Really, go share some with Texas. She's parched!

I do NOT want to live with civilians in base housing. Call me a snob, I don't give a rat's patoouti. If you've privatized the base housing, do NOT advertise to civilians in an attempt to get unsafe, unchecked people on base. Let alone among the families of military members. That is not a great way to do business, or to guard the safety of the military when they're at one of their most vulnerable times. Really, how hard is it to grasp that "I'm not in the military, WTF do I feel entitled to live on a military base". Those houses aren't the greatest, but they're a benefit of telling Unky Sam you'll let people try to kill you for crap pay for 20+ years to get to retire.

Hehe, I love the sewing store over in Sacile. My Italian is absolute crap, sorry Spanish is more important to keep than to learn Italian to me. They sell the best stuff, and at rock bottom prices! I needed a new clasp for me cloak and our base craft center doesn't carry squat it seems. However, the lovely ladies at the sewing store sell really cool stuff. As such, I got almost 2 yards of pinkish-purple pleather (don't ask me why) for E9. That's about $11.50. Hot damn! That's good! I think I might make the oldest some pants with it - she's weird like me.

So, now in addition to my new clasp for my cloak (here comes the Sith Lord as some of the kiddos call me - I'm 'cool', I know StarWars!), I have some material to make some pants of.

Our craft store on base did have, did I bought most of it, material remnants for 25 cents each. What sewer/crafter do you know of that can pass up 25 cent a piece material? Especially when they need to make beanbags for the upcoming school carnival? Uh huh, that also allows the oldest heathen to practice on her little sewing machine, and make some Barbie clothes in the patter she'd like. Our craft store doesn't rock often, but when it does - IT DOES!

I love, love, LOVE, Amira Mor and her bellydance workout dvds. Bellydancing rocks out too! In 4 months of 2 times a week (Bellyrobics on Monday, Bellydance on Wed) I've toned 13 inches (yea, I said 13 inches) off my waist. No weight change, but screw the scale! Of course my pants don't fit properly, but what the hell, that's part of the fun, no?

Now, off to type more recipes. Again I say, PROOFREAD any you send someone else! For the love of all that is holy, please proofread them!

New Vehicle

2009-03-03T00:30:00.002-05:00

Well, the pre-PCS gods have smiled upon us. Hubby yesterday got inspected, registered, and road tax paid on the new 'truck'. A Toyota Rav 4, but British! Left-hand shift which made the gentleman we bought it from sell it cheaper (seems most Americans won't bother to learn left shifting). Yay! Hubby has another vehicle to get him to and from, it will fit us all (a bit cramped but still), gets great gas mileage and was cheap by used car standards. We even have some people who've expressed interest in buying it when we PCS.

The truck is running slightly better. It seems running it totally dry (totally not on purpose) may have put air back in the fuel line and the gas mileage has gone up again. Not loads, but some. We're still awaiting parts (grrr Autozone!), but when they get here hopefully it improves that much more until we can get the truck to a Dodge dealer in Texas come June/July. We've got new spark plugs, 02 sensor, and gas cap on order. Yes, if the vacuum seal on the truck's gas line isn't correct it will cause a "check engine" light and throw a vacuum seal error to the computer. We've already had to replace it twice in it's lifetime so hopefully that is a major part of the issues.

But, we're back to a two car family! Yay!

Long live the REPUBLIC!

2009-03-02T01:31:00.003-05:00

173 years ago today, at Washington-on-the-Brazos, the Republic of Texas was born! Long live the Republic, LONG LIVE TEXAS!

Today's festivities are tempered with the knowledge that we lost 15 men, 6 captured, 6 escaped (5 later to die at the Goliad Massacre) at the Battle of Aqua Dulce.

AGH!!!!

2009-02-27T00:23:00.002-05:00

I really don't like getting up at 430 to take my husband to work. Oh, did I mention I have to take the kids with me as I can't leave them home alone? Why at 430? They changed the time he needed to be in and notified him just over 8 hours before he had to go to work.

The beater finally beat it. We're working on getting another, but we're down to one vehicle. The truck.

Did I mention the O2 sensor is f*cked? That the moron that programed the computer chip (which is a whole different rant) has it set to make the O2 sensor drop MORE gas as it's "running lean" according to the error code when it obviously is NOT?!? We're getting less than 5 miles to a gallon! Yeah, when we used to get 380+ to the tank, we're getting 140 at best and that the horrible 140 is an improvement over 100 to the tank? How do I know this? The truck is out of gas on the side of the road. It ate 1/8 of a tank to go less than 5 miles! It's a 22 gallon tank. That works out to an insanely stupid waste of rationed gas.

Did I mention that it was about 530am when it died? No, I didn't? Well now you know.

How about that we need new spark plugs and O2 sensor and that the base Auto Hobby shop doesn't carry those items? That Italians don't have any form of Auto Zone or Pep Boys or auto supply or repair store other than the local Agip? That Italians don't seem capable of pumping their own gas, let alone replacing regular maintenance items? That at best you can buy spare headlight bulbs at the 'auto' store?

Auto Zone decided to ship the parts a week AFTER we ordered them, though they had them "in stock" at the time? That the Chrysler dealer has NO IDEA what a Dodge is, how to fix it, or get a manual? Yeah, I can't take it for work at the shop here because they don't know how to fix a truck. Way to go there Chrysler! Don't train your mechanics, but if you get a call from an American overseas swear that "all Chrysler dealers are trained and equipped to help you". What a load of bullshit!

Oh, did I say that it broke down after I dropped hubby at work and that the girls and I weren't home yet? Thankfully one of the other NCOs was headed to PT and went out of his way to get us home. That it died in a traffic circle, and that at least 15 Americans drove right on by? I'd say something about the Italians but they're generally really rude up here.

Now I'm now stuck with a deadline to be at school, no gas in the lawnmower's can, NO GAS STATIONS OPEN until AFTER 9! (24 hours? WTF is that?!? Convenience? Doesn't exist in this country!), and hoofing it a couple miles to the nearest station, filling 2 can with insane gas prices, and then a couple more miles of carrying full gas cans to the truck? Oh yea, any wonder why I HATE Italy??!?!?!?! Why you can't get me on the plane fast enough? Why I will be doing a happy dance as soon as the dust from this crap hole is off my shoes?

So I spent the last 3 hours out of my bed, an hour of it in a truck that was freezing because there was no gas to heat it with (or drive home with), and I had 3 children with me (1 insisting on being a brat). Any wonder why I'm not in a fabulous mood?!? Anyone want to guess why we don't just "tough it out and use one car until you PCS?" Anyone?

To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World:

2009-02-24T01:37:00.001-05:00

Fellow citizens & compatriots—I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna—I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken—I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch—The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country—Victory or Death.

William Barret Travis

Lt. Col. comdt

P.S. The Lord is on our side—When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn—We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels & got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves.

Travis

Thus they laid seige

2009-02-23T01:43:00.003-05:00

Today William Barrett Travis was forced into the Alamo by the arrival of Santa Anna's army. The blood red flag of "no quarter" was raised, San Antonio de Behar had fallen to the dictator's hand, and the siege began.

As sacred a day as this is in the history of Texas, Travis made a very foolhardy decision to hold on to the Alamo, in direct violation of his commanding officer (Sam Houston). Doing so cost the lives of good men, but in turn gave the Republic precious time to mount an army, not just a bunch of volunteers scattered throughout the area. On the one hand it was ignorant and suicidal, on the other is was a desperately needed delaying tactic. History will long fight over if it was a good or bad thing but without it, the Republic would not have had so strong a rallying cry. It turned into a political disaster for Santa Anna with the cruel death of well known American figures, men who's death in war would strengthen American resolve to have Texas in the union, and outside of Mexican control.

Terminalia

2009-02-23T01:25:00.002-05:00

Today is Terminalia, the festival to the god Terminus, though he has never had a form beyond the boundary rock, and he has no personification or myth associated with him. He is one of the more pure forms of Roman deity in that he was never made to change into the Greek forms with a myth, history, and rules attached.

Today, owners of adjacent property would crown his statue, a stone or post in the ground to mark the boundary line, with garlands and erect a temporary alter on which they would offer honey, wine, sacrificial lamb, or other deserving items to his pleasure. They would sing his praises as well. There was also a public celebration which took place around the sixth milestone marker on the road to Laurentum. It is assumed this is because the sixth milestone marker was the original boundary of Roman territory.

So today is a day of celebration of markers, boundaries and neighbors. It is when you rejoice in having good clear ends to things. This was also the end of the year in the Republican calendar.

Meeting Death

2009-02-20T16:30:00.002-05:00

Jade Goody, not known to be the most intelligent, well read, or well bred Brit is dying of cervical cancer. While I've never been a fan of Ms. Goody's, she is meeting her fate with bravery and determination. More than that, she's meeting it with love. A love for her minor children she will leave behind much too soon (she's only 27). She's currently selling photos of herself and her treatment, and her upcoming nuptials, to help set up a fund to care for her children. As crass as she has been, that is an act of sheer love and devotion. I hope her end is peaceful, and her children go on with the knowledge their mother loved them very, very deeply.

No, Stupid, I won't

2009-02-19T17:42:00.004-05:00

Pay your balloon mortgage! Just because you're an idiot and opted to get one does NOT mean I feel the need to take it over and "rent to own" your home! By rent, I mean "RENT", not purchase. I have no desire to settle in Virginia, nor will I buy my first home there.

Also, WTF is with the 5' between you and your neighbor's house? If I wanted them that closed I'd live with them! I don't want them that close (or living with me) so no, I do not want to live in a suburb. I don't dig people telling me my lawn is 1/4" too long, that my hedges aren't perfectly level (yes, they've actually done it), or that my dog is too big for my yard. Unless you can guarantee that the neighbors will keep their dirty little noses in their own stinky little messes, I don't want neighbors! I generally used to go out of my way to be nice to the neighbors. Aviano has sucked that right the fuck outta me! I don't want anything to do with ANY of my neighbors here. They could be sociopaths, lawyers, or even saints and I still want NOTHING to do with them. Why on god's green earth am I going to want to live within spitting distance of the next house?

Oh, there's a new recipe up on the recipe blog. It isn't even a re-post from previously, it's a brand new one. Don't you all feel special? I really hope a recipe on my blog is not what makes you feel special.

Oh, and the family blog has been updated as well. See? I'm trying on the Tacita front! Today is a holy day to Dea Tacita (the goddess of Silence, and hence the dead). It is also about mid-way through the Parentalia festival dedicated to the souls of departed parents.

Somewhat getting ready

2009-02-16T07:26:00.002-05:00

I haven't done much for our PCS. Can't really until the med clearances go through and that requires contacting people on base who are off today. However, I have begun packing the kiddos' carry-on with all their workbooks (I am a hard task master), coloring pads, and a change of undies. I won't pack snacks until the end, same with the MP3 players. They aren't generally permitted to take their electronic gismoes but I think their little GameBoys will go in at the end as well.

As more than one flight crew has commented - my children are well behaved, quiet, and tidy. They have a healthy fear of mommy and daddy and know what we won't tolerate on an 8+ hour flight to anywhere. I also firmly believe children will be children and need something to entertain them on those flights. I find education to be both entertaining and knowledge building (haha, can you tell I'm from teachers?) hence the workbooks. The fun should be silent as well, hence the color pads and crayons/markers/pens/pencils and then electronic junk. I'm not best pleased with the electronic junk, but the games they have are at least not stupidity for stupidity's sake such as Sponge Bob.

I've also gone through all my clothes, and the youngest one's. Everything that's too small, old, or what not has been parsed out. Now, back to typing cookbook recipes. Happy President's Day!

Blessed Lupercalia

2009-02-14T14:41:00.001-05:00

My first born for a house?

2009-02-12T17:35:00.002-05:00

You have got to be shitting me! The price of real estate in Virginia, just for rentals, is astronomical! Someone needs to let them know that it's a buyer's market and the bottom fell out of the housing market. They haven't got the message yet.

We're on the way

2009-02-10T00:50:00.002-05:00

We've gotten a rip, waiting on hard copy, but we will be headed to Langley AFB, Virginia in about 4 months. As much planning as I need to do, and the stress that will go with it, I'm just happy right now to know where we're headed.

I support Joe

2009-02-08T05:27:00.002-05:00

This is taken from my Facebook account, and I thought it needed wider sharing.

This group is to support Royal Marine Joe Townsend with the ongoing process of him getting a special adapted bungalow out with his family in Pevensey.

After losing both legs to an anti-tank mine while serving with the 40 Commando based at Helmand Province in Afghanistan, Joe is trying to rebuild his life.

Joe is a strong and determined person who is proud to be in the Marines. He deserved to be a Marine and would always give 110% in anything he did. Despite losing both legs, Joe still remains upbeat and optimistic.

To help Joe become more independent and closer to his family, his grandad decided to build a specially adapted bungalow on his own land to help Joe.The plans for his bungalow, which would have had a treatment room, a bedroom for a carer and an en- suite bathroom, were drawn up for free by an architect who wanted to thank Joe for his sacrifice.

But the council disagreed. A spokesman for Wealden Council said: “The circumstances in this case are not considered sufficient to warrant an exception to the usual restraint policies.” She also said Joe’s bungalow would be "intrusive" and breach planning laws even though no neighbours objected.

With many people already supporting Joe, this group is to get more people on board with the idea and help Joe get the bungalow he deserves.

Video from Meridian local news on Joe's bungalow, thanks to Sandy for this -

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=47917476327&h=lbnCG&u=KUBMq

Joe's story from Marine cadets to Royal Marine -

http://www.theargus.co.uk/search/3547198.Marine_Joe_Townsend_talks_about_his_life_changing_tragedy/

Noel's HQ video -

http://www.new.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=7353&post=31429&uid=58643645907#/video/video.php?v=60976374399&ref=share

Please visit http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/ to help support our wounded servicemen and women injured in the current conflicts.

If you'd like to support Joe's cause, and hopefully teach a council not to mistreat the war wounded, feel free to contact the council at:

IF you are a UK citizen, you may sign the petition
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Mne-Townsend/

If you are a UK citizen, or not, please take a moment to contact the Wealden District Council at:

Wealden District Council
Pine Grove
Crowborough
East Sussex
TN6 1DH

http://www.wealden.gov.uk/

planning@wealden.gov.uk

My Dr Who fix

2009-02-06T14:35:00.001-05:00

The Crafty Tardis over on Live Journal. I'm such a Who lover!

Hubby makes rank

2009-02-05T16:33:00.002-05:00

Or, more aptly, puts it on.

I'm so lame. They had to walk me through just wtf I was supposed to do. I've been married to him through 4 ranks now, and this is the first time I've ever seen it pinned on.

I was given a free punch, and look at me! Chief leans into it, and I just tap him.

Time

2009-02-05T12:54:00.002-05:00

21:11 for my 3 mile run today. I'm within 20 seconds of my first goal!