Ain't that America?
A few days ago, I read a
blog entry by Wil Wheaton on an appearance at a comic book convention by OJ Simpson. I was a little shocked by the whole premise of OJ making a public appearance on the 10th anniversary of his acquittal on murder charges. Wil called for a boycott of the convention. After reading Wil's blog, I figured everyone would get pissed off about this and OJ would be forced to reconsider. So, imagine my surprise when I logged onto Yahoo and saw this news headline:
Comics show plans rare O.J. Simpson appearance. Apparently he arrives this evening. I just hope that a lot of the folks in L.A. take Wil's advice and sit this one out. I know everyone is innocent until proven guilty, even OJ unfortunately. I just don't think that the promoters should be using him to draw so much attention to their event. I am just hoping he's not that much of a draw. It says a lot about society if he is.
As a journalist (when will I stop chuckling every time I say that? Some people are a hoot!), I just want to take a second to applaud
New York Times reporter
Judith Miller. In this day and age, I wonder how many journalists would spend 85 days in jail to preserve their professional integrity. I wonder how many ever had that much integrity to begin with. As the face of journalism changes rapidly, there are fewer reporters who value professional ethics. So, thank you, Judy, for being a role model for every journalist in America. You've set the bar for all of us.
Bill Bennett is at it again. This time he's said that we could reduce crime if all black people had abortions. He quickly said that it was a ludicrous proposition but the fact that the thought even crossed his mind frightens the hell out of me. I'm absolutely amazed that he not only has a radio show, but that people listen. And he's got a new book out. Let me rush to Barnes & Noble RIGHT NOW! Congressman John Conyers has
written to Bennett's syndicator and called for his suspension. Bet ya that gets nowhere. (Had to get a betting reference in there!) I'm just going to sit here and wonder, yet again, how there are black Republicans.
I still haven't gotten around to reading
Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed, and now she has a new book,
Bait and Switch. I guess these are next after I finish the latest Harry Potter book.
The
song of the day is
"Rocky Top." The Vols play Ole Miss tomorrow, and after the first three games, they need all the help they can get. Go Big Orange!!!
Yay! It's fall!!!
I woke up this morning to a crisp autumn day. I slipped on a long-sleeved shirt and some jeans and went to work. It was sunny, but there were leaves on the road and a little chill in the air. This is my favorite time of the year. I just want to grab a blanket, a sweatshirt and some apple cider and hit a football game. It's getting to be the time of the year where I get ready for Halloween and tell ghost stories. I just can't wait. But, boy, how the year has flown by.
A few of my co-workers have decided to check out my blog, so I'll have to watch what I say. Nah, I just love them to bits. Working with them is definitely a bright spot in my day.
Song of the day:
Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash. When I was driving to Cincinnati to see Kenny, I was on I-275 and I heard the story behind this song. I hadn't ever heard it before, and I fell in love with the song all over again when I heard it. June Carter wrote the lyrics to this song 5 years before she married Johnny Cash. She wrote this song about Cash because even though they were both married to other people at the time, she was in love with him and his volatile lifestyle was like being around a "ring of fire." Johnny had a dream that he was singing the song. He recorded it in 1963 and it remains one of the top songs of all time. They were married in 1968. Anyhow, when I heard that story (told by John Carter Cash), I realized that if two people are supposed to be together they will be, even if they have to take a long, windy road to get there. I needed that pep talk today. So, that's the song of the day. (And as I just typed this I remembered it was going to be "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts. I'm seeing a theme.)
Overheard about
our newest Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.: He's nicer than Scalia. Wow, that takes talent. Thank god he's not 50 years old appointed to a life-time position setting the Supreme Court's agenda and making decisions that will affect each and every one of us. Can't wait to see who'll be replacing Justice O'Connor. God help us all.
On the lighter side of the U.S. Supreme Court, did you see that they are taking Anna Nicole's Smith's inheritance case? I hope they'll let CourtTV put
this on there.
I love when I say "I don't have much to say today..."
I don't have much to say today, so we'll start with the song of the day. Surprisingly it isn't something off Gretchen Wilson's new CD,
All Jacked Up, which has been all played to hell since I got it yesterday. Great CD. Love it. Every song's fantastic. And "Politically Uncorrect," which I didn't like in concert, is just great. Just proves everything's better with Haggard!
So, now that I've shamelessly plugged Ms. Wilson's new CD,
on to the real song of the day,
"Some Gave All" by Billy Ray Cyrus. It started out as a joke. My friend Kayla (the hairdresser) and I were talking about mullets and I told her I was stuck on the song of the day. She suggested Billy Ray, and I thought instantly of this song. I was never really a big Billy Ray fan. I mentioned several days ago my friend Rick and his fight to get his brother Gary the Medal of Honor. Well, Rick put a CD together that he sent to every Member of Congress, and this song was the background. And everyone working at
Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America fell in love with it and we used it for our memorial tribute at our Salute to Veterans fundraising event last Veterans Day. Not a dry eye in the house. Imagine 200 military men and women in dress uniforms crying as the names and photos of Michigan's fallen scrolled over the screen. I guess this song will always have a place in my heart. That was an awesome event. Definitely on my list of swan songs.
Speaking of work, it's starting to get very busy there, with no end in sight. I am so glad that Houston's been postponed because it is getting piled on now. So if you try to get in touch with me at work and it takes a while to get back to ya, don't get upset. I just had to switch gears. No time for fun!
I've been remarkably tame about the whole Hurricane situation, but I will say this:
Let's stop the blame game and take care of everyone. It's getting very old. I'm sorry,
Mr. Brown, you weren't qualified to do your job. Of course, it didn't help that our Dumbass-in-Chief moved FEMA into Homeland Security where they siphoned all your money off to fight terrorism. So, shush on all the BS. Stop pointing fingers and work. And for the love of God, don't make it a partisan issue! Even though all the people who aren't getting help are most likely Democrats. I'm sure that's not the issue at all!
Speaking of Democrats and Republicans, how about that
Tom Delay? On the plus side, I'm pretty sure that he won't be able to run for President now! This might shock you, but I heard that
Bill Frist might be shady, too. When will it end? Very surprising from the Party that rigged two presidential elections.
Let's see. What else? Would anyone like a dog? Sparky's nuts. And I think he's taken to barking whenever a cow moos. That's annoying when you have a field full of cattle. Oh and as quick as I can sweep up the remnants of the dog bed, he makes a new mess.
And last, but not least, it's great to have a plan. It's all gonna work out. Especially if you believe in fate and what the cards hold for you.
Big Orange, Ms. Gretchen (both of them) and saying "oops"
The Vols won tonight. I am surprised I have fingernails, because it was a close one. It wasn't at first. They were down 21-0. Then Ainge got hurt and in went Rick Clausen. Woo-hoo!!! Phil Fulmer is an amazing coach, but I think he's made the wrong call on QB this year. Let's start #16 next week and see what happens. Pretty please?
Ms. Gretchen Wilson's new CD is out right now. If I'd known I'd have insomnia and be up at midnight, I'd have been at Walmart when they put them on the shelves. I'll get it after work tomorrow.
On to "the other Gretchen. lol" as she calls herself. The other Ms. Gretchen is one of my bestest friends. She reads this blog everyday. She is an amazing woman. She is a NICU nurse and I met her totally accidentally. I am so glad for it. Especially because if she were crazy she might've chopped me up into bits and put me in her trunk somewhere in Minnesota. I was so upset when Kenny got hurt and his tour got delayed, but I got to go with this awesome person and have a great time. And it's your best friends who'll give you a little nudge when you're standing there completely frozen because you're pretty sure the love of your life is four feet away. A friend helps you find your wings and fly. Thank you Gretchen, simply for being you. I'm so blessed that you are in my life.
Oops. I made a mistake. Oops. I screwed up. Oops, I got a friend involved in a big giant mess but she still loves me. That's what good friends do, eh? And speaking of oopsies, someone's got a scar from an altercation he told me was no big deal. Somedays you should just let me worry, OK? I'm a worry wart. It's inevitible. Or maybe you know that and are helping me pick my battles? I guess we'll see. Oh, and one last oops for today: You will be late for your meeting if you get Long Run Road and Longview Heights mixed up. Don't ask how I know. Ha ha.
Needless to say detox failed miserably. I'm going to blame Gretchen Wilson. Sorry to all of my friends who thought they might have some free time from my gushing. Maybe someday. Hopefully not.
Things that were cool about today: 1) I won $1 on a lottery ticket 2) I got a free two-liter of coke zero 3) I had awesome quesadillas for lunch 4) Dinner was homemade pizza night.
Song of the day:
Somebody's Hero by Jamie O'Neal. I have liked this song since it came out. And then I saw the video today and it reminded me how cool it is. It's a great song. It reminds us that there are everyday heroes among us. And that for a little kid, or even a grown woman, her mom will always be her hero.
Except in Frank Henderson's political theory class. He's gone to the big lecture hall in the sky now, but I heard a rumor that a girl cried when he asked her when he asked her who her hero was. (I think he was thinking along the lines of Andrew Jackson, Thurgood Marshall, Alan Greenspan rather than her mama.) And in true fashion only fitting of the toughest political science professor in the history of political sciene, he responded: "F--- your mom. I meant for this class." My heroes for that class? Probably
Cesar Chavez,
Dorothy Day and
Eleanor Roosevelt. And maybe
Bill Clinton. Not sure we'll ever have another president who was an impressive statesmen and an even better campaigner. You can say what you want about him, but the man is an absolute political genius. And I know I was better off when he was president. Why do I feel like Edith Bunker everytime I think "those were the days?"
What a week!!!
I had originally planned to talk about all kinds of fun stuff because for the most part Saturday was good: I went to an old-fashioned farm day and had fresh apple cider; I went to the Ohio-Kent football game and it was very fun and OU won; and I got falafel from the stand Uptown. I just love their falafel. I'll even say that seeing the yellow-haired boy in People was a highlight. I thought it might make up for the incredibly shitty week I had. And then all hell broke loose.
So much went wrong this week, and I shouldn't have deluded myself into thinking that life was OK. Ooops. I had a bit of a run-in with one of my dearest friends, and I'm pretty sure she's pissed at me and I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Honestly, I'm just praying it'll all be OK.
Have you ever had two friends tell you two stories about one event? And you listen and you're pretty damn sure that one of them has to be lying for the other one to be telling the truth? This especially sucks if there is no point at all in taking sides, which there wasn't. I've heard a lot of crazy shit lately, and at some point I decided that I'd just roll with it. It doesn't affect me personally and I don't know anything for sure because I'm not involved in the situation. So, I'm just staying right in the middle. And honestly, maybe I just need to bury my head in the sand because realistically it sucks to think that anyone would lie to you, and worst yet, that anyone would feel like they had to make up lies to be my friend. That's just silly. Especially when you're a very cool person regardless.
Yes, I'm sure I came off all wrong in the way I handled the whole mess. There were lots of reasons. I had sun poisoning yesterday and I didn't feel good. I had a really shitty week. Like I said, I'm worrying most about the things going wrong that personally affect me and I'm totally at a crossroads on my feelings about the yellow-haired boy. So add to that the realization that you may have been completely and totally hosed by a friend and not knowing exactly how to process that information. Even when it's looking you right in the face, it sucks to have to think that about a friend. Especially when you and that friend had a bumpy road and you were excited that maybe things would be OK. I don't like choosing between my friends. And yes, I realize that I'm the one who put myself in this situation and at the time it seemed like the right thing to do. I just wish I had a clue what to do next. I guess I've explained myself and if our friendship is as strong as I think it is we'll be OK. And it's not like I doubted her; I just didn't want to be wrong about someone else. Maybe I'm just too idealistic to think that everyone could be telling some version of the truth, somehow. Honestly, I've just been a sympathetic ear and I've been rolling with it. Only time will tell...
Song of the day: When I was growing up, my favorite song was Bonnie Tyler's
"It's a Heartache." Well, today on the radio I heard a cover of this song. Trick Pony, I guess. It's still a great song. And it totally fit my mood. Trying to decide what to do about a boy who seems very interested in me, but doesn't seem to know what the next steps are. And feeling like I have done all I can and not knowing what this means. And, of course, not liking AT ALL what I think it means. Being worried that a very good friend is upset with me and not knowing what I can do about it. Being at an impasse with work and having to make some decisions there and being a little scared of what's next in life. Yep, it's all one big giant heartache. On the plus side, Heidi Newfield has done a great job with this song. I get very picky when people cover my favorite songs, and I didn't turn it off and run screaming from the building!
TGIF!
I was lazy last night. Couldn't even think of anything that I wanted to say. That's OK because I've got plenty of things to say tonight.
First of all,
song of the day. "I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today" by Gretchen Wilson. It's off her new CD
All Jacked Up, which comes out Tuesday. If you go to CMT.com you can listen to the whole CD online. Anyhow, this song completely and totally fit my mood for today. Make plans to get this CD. It's a great one. I had the opportunity to see Gretchen live a few (OK, seven) times this year, and she sang several songs from this CD.
Thursday night TV: "Joey" wasn't that bad last night. Maybe the new format's going to work. It's not friends. Hell, Joey doesn't even seem the same, but it's OK. "The Apprentice" is a hoot. I love that show. A one-hour catfight every week complete with The Donald and his hairdo? Reality TV at its finest. But the shocker of the night was "ER." I used to love "ER." I couldn't miss that show, but over the past few years (really since Anthony Edwards left) it hasn't been great. I swore I wouldn't watch after Noah left, and I barely watched last season. So imagine my surprise when I tuned in last night and enjoyed myself. It's not the hard-hitting medical drama it used to be and the cast is a little shaky (especially with Sara Gilbert being replaced as Jane) but it wasn't bad. I might try it again next week.
Right now I am watching some show on NBC about a fertility clinic. I have no idea what it's called. I thought Law & Order SVU was on Friday at 10 p.m. The cast is fantastic. The premise is interesting. I wonder if it will make it. I'm not sure what I think. Not sure if I'd catch it again. If anyone knows where SVU went, drop me a line.
I am not sure what's going on with Houston. I'm playing it by ear. I fought with NorthWorst today and it's not looking good. That sucks. Well, whenever and wherever the show is if I am supposed to be there, I will be.
Well, I am off for the night. Can't think of anything else clever or witty to say. A shocker, I know...
Why do I even make plans?!?!
My life has been like a huge giant roller coaster for months. Should anything even shock me anymore? My friend Kay says that "fate hates us." Today I started to feel like she was right. But then I think of all the good things fate has brought into my life this year. Kay and a few other friends, the boy with yellow hair, my cute little puppy dog, and tons of other stuff I'm sure I'm forgetting. Can't write fate off too quickly. Are surely I don't want to piss her off.
Mother nature on the other hand sucks. And she's brought her daughter crazy-ass Hurricane Rita with her. And they heard I'd planned a vacay. Ironically to go see a concert to raise money for another Hurricane, Katrina. So, as of today, the concert is postponed until God-knows-when. I haven't even ventured toward the hell that is Northwest awards travel reservation center to see if I can still make it (whenever it may be) without losing my ass on a new plane ticket. On first guess, my answer is no. We'll pray to the ticket gods. Hopefully they are not Mother Nature's cousins.
It also means that I don't get to see my friends, including my favorite boy, in 9 days. That makes me very sad. I must admit that when all this went down, I thought fate was cruel and the deck was stacked against the possibility of anything happening with this guy. Maybe I listened to
"Kerosene" by Miranda Lambert way too much. I was totally ready to throw in the towel. I've decided it's not quite time yet, but the warning has been issued that someone is only going to be able to get by on his amazing smile and utter cuteness for so long...I talked to one of my friend's friends (hee hee) to get a guy's perspective on this and he says his best guess is A) guys are weird and B) that he just wants to be sure before he makes the next move. I have never been good at being patient, but I'm going to try. It's that damn smile again...
Okey dokey, can't have too much thinking about boys before bedtime. I might accidentally dream about my third-favorite fiddle player. (After Charlie Daniels and Dan from GW's band.) We can't have that, now can we?
Now on to the
song of the day:
"I'll Be" by Edwin McCain. One of my all-time favorites. It's awesome when you feel that way about someone. I think my toes would curl half-way up my legs if someone ever sang that to me...
The computer says I need a title, SOOOO...
Song of the Day:
"As Good As I Once Was" by Toby Keith. I don't particularly like Toby, but he is a great songwriter. His videos are always funny. And this song is no exception. It makes me laugh, and today that's a very good thing. So, TK gets a song of the day.
It's evaluation time at work. So I had to do a self-eval before my real one. I am dreading it. I have just been coasting by trying to decide if I even wanted to be there. Well, with the changes in the structure and finally feeling like I have some guidance, I do feel like I should be there. At least for now. Who knows what life holds for us? It's exciting there and there's plenty of work to be done. So, I'm working on doing it now. But on my evaluation I came out and said that I got off to a rocky start but I had all kinds of great ideas and was working my butt off now. Let's face it, my boss isn't an idiot. She knows I haven't given 100%. I might as well admit it and move on. I'm just concentrating on having a successful event in a couple of months and then we'll see what's next. I love the people there and I don't dislike my job; I just have felt like I'm all over the chart, both personally and professionally. Now I have focus and I'm working a lot harder and am spending less time wandering like a lost soul. Surely that counts for something.
See, sometimes I can admit I screwed up and do what it takes to make it right. Ha ha.
I get more excited about Houston each day. I also decided against the t-shirt I was going to wear. Not because the boy with the yellow hair wouldn't appreciate it, but because I'm worried someone else would think I'm making a move. God help us all! I pretty much told the girls I'm going with that regardless of what happens, I'm pretty sure I'll be unbearable. Either I'll be that annoying happy girl no one can stand or I'll be sobbing uncontrollably in my Crown and diet. I'm really hoping for the former. Actually, I'll be there with some really cool girls. We're going to see some really cool performers and have a freaking blast. (The jello shots will help.) Anything else would be icing on the cake, right?
I almost forgot!!!!
I found my memory stick. It was in a place that my mom and I had looked three times, but you'll have that. Yay!
So, my little prayer to St. Anthony worked. Now I'm reminded of another prayer all the girls learned in grade school:
"Dear St. Anne, please bring me a man."
(St. Anne is the mother of Mary and the patron saint of housewives and women in labor.)
Maybe I should try it, just in case...
Ooops, I missed Monday!
This is actually Monday's blog, but I had to work late and came home utterly exhausted. I checked my email, had dinner, forced Jackie to play a game of "Are you SURE he likes me?" and then went to bed very early. I woke up at 5:20 today and I went back to sleep, although it probably made sense to wake up at 5:20. Now I'm not getting much of a headstart anyhow...
Work has been busy, and I'm sure it will get busier. That's OK though. It's nice to be productive when I'm there.
I'm starting to get excited about Houston. It's going to be a lot of fun. I've been talking to the other girls who are going with us besides Jenn and they seem great too. This could be a very interesting weekend, and I am sure I'll be unbearable whichever way it turns out, so they are very brave ladies.
I keep resisting the urge to write about things I like and don't like because I don't want anyone to compare this to the mindless drivel that
Holly comes up with, and somedays that's how I feel. Except with shorter sentences and more punctuation. But I feel the urge to tell you about one thing that I'm liking today and one thing I didn't like yesterday.
What I'm liking right now: Bath & Body Works Black Raspberry and Vanilla shower cream (or do they call it creamy body wash now?). I always like Bath & Body Works. I'm addicted and my bathroom looks like their store exploded in it, but I am really digging this stuff. It smells like dessert. I am impressed. I might have to bop over and get more stuff in this scent.
What I didn't like yesterday (surprisingly): I got a small (but expensive) bag of salt & malt (vinegar) chips from
The Chippery, which is a new place here in town that makes fresh potato chips. Now to be fair, I bought this bag at Kroger and not at the actual Chippery. But for $1.99 for a small bag, I guess I expected pure magic in a paper bag, and these were just OK. They were better than Lay's (duh) but not as good as some brands that are available here without digging too much. I guess before I completely write them off I should go taste them at the store. Or I should avoid them altogether, since I'm not supposed to be eating chips anymore!
Since I'm being silly, here are a few things I ALWAYS like: sapphires, daisies and chocolate.
Oh, and of course I like the
song of the day. This one is not a recent song, but it's absolutely one of my all-time favorites. I got to thinking about this song last night, and I thought it'd be a good one to share my thoughts on. The song is
"Cold and Empty" off Kid Rock's
Kid Rock CD. When I heard this song for the first time, I rushed out to buy the CD. I think I listened to this CD for hours on end without taking it out of my CD player. I think that Kid Rock is extremely talented, as are the other men who wrote this song with him. Haven't heard a bad thing that any of them have written. Anyhow, knowing a little background on this song makes it more interesting. And, of course, I have probably been thinking about it lately because it's probably important for me to "get it." I always have and I always will. It's important to know exactly what you're signing up for before you dive in...
Farm Aid Rocks!
I just finally shut off Farm Aid because it's almost sleepy time here. Haven't found the memory stick, so I'll be recreating work tomorrow morning because it has to get done, probably before I can find where it already is. Have to remember to pray to St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost things. I've found so many things by using the little prayer we learned in grade school, "Dear St. Tony, please come around. Something's been lost and can't be found."
Anyhow, this is a special all-Farm Aid edition of my blog (after my missing jump drive tangent). I thought it was SOOOOO cool that the Farm Aid web site had a live webcast of the show. I guess CMT will be playing parts of it later, but this was very cool. Right after I turned it on, I heard Kenny's sound check. That was a special treat for me. I've been saying for days I just needed to hear someone's voice and that was the first thing I heard when the screen popped up. Kenny and the guys looked like they were in great spirits. And they all looked great too. The sound was a bit off, but it's different when you don't use your own equipment. I can't wait to see the boys in Houston!
It was nifty hearing the stories of the different farmers receiving Farm Aid grants. Because I'm learning more about sustainable agriculture everyday, I really enjoyed the sidebar commentary to the concert.
After Kenny was all the Farm Aid board members. Dave Matthews was great, although it was odd to see him without a band. Then Mellencamp. I always love Mellencamp. And I shut the broadcast off half-way through Neil Young. Not because I don't love Neil. I'm just ready for bed. I'll see Willie in 12 days at the One Country concert.
The
Farm Aid web site is really cool. You can stop by to look at pictures. They have been updating them every few hours.
Lastly, the
song of the day is The Authority Song by John Mellencamp. It's a classic and one I hadn't heard for a while. Perfect choice for the all-Farm Aid blog.
Join me tomorrow for more ramblings about absolutely nothing!
Arlington Update
I don't get it, but I'll let Trace make the call. Here's an update on his song, Arlington.
A letter from Trace. I will write more later. I'm in and out today. Does anyone have any ideas where I've lost my jump drive this time? Last I saw it I was listening to Kenny's new song, which I had downloaded onto it. Now it's missing. I'm hoping to find it soon. It has some stuff from work on it that I really need...
Honoring Heroes
I was going to go to bed, but I decided to tell you all about this amazing man I know who fights mercilessly for the honor of his older brother, who died 35 years ago in Vietnam and due to a glitch in his paperwork never received our nation's highest military honor, the Medal of Honor.
My friend Rick McKiddy fights everyday for his brother Gary. He has put up with a ridiculous amount of red tape trying to get recognition for the bravery and dedication that his brother gave to our country and his fellow soldiers.
I met Rick through my work at Paralyzed Veterans of America. He is really building support to get his brother the Medal, and I have always done whatever I can to help him. He's been given the run-around so many times...
I read this article today, and it got me to thinking about Rick and his efforts. I'm going to share more about Rick after I share this article. I just don't understand why he's not having any luck but others keep receiving the Medal. Not that I think they are less deserving; I just don't think Sgt. McKiddy is less than deserving. And how great that Ted Rubin gets to enjoy his honor while he's still living. We should cherish our living Medal recipients, like my friend
Peter Lemon.
After 55 Years, Vet to Get Medal of Honor By PAUL CHAVEZ, Associated Press WriterSat Sep 17, 8:52 AM ET
Tibor Rubin kept his promise to join the U.S. Army after American troops freed him from the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria during World War II.
A Hungarian Jew, Rubin immigrated to New York after the war, joined the Army and fought as an infantryman in the Korean War. In 1951, Chinese troops captured Cpl. Rubin and other U.S. soldiers and he became a prisoner of war for 2 1/2 years.
More than five decades later, after a relentless campaign by grateful comrades and Jewish war veterans, President Bush on Sept. 23 will give Rubin the Medal of Honor.
"I was only staying alive to get that medal and now I'm going to enjoy it," said the 76-year-old Rubin, who now lives in Garden Grove.
He was nominated four times for the medal, the nation's highest recognition for bravery in battle. But some believe the paperwork was never submitted because a member of his chain of command discriminated against him for being Jewish and born in Hungary.
When he was at the Chinese prisoners' camp known as "Death Valley," Rubin said he would pray in Hebrew for the U.S. soldiers — about 40 each day — who died in the freezing weather. He also took care of soldiers suffering from dysentery or pneumonia.
Rubin, who goes by the name Ted, called concentration camp good "basic training" for being a POW and applied lifesaving lessons he learned there. For example, Rubin said he would retrieve maggots from the prisoners' latrine and apply them to the infected wounds of his comrades to remove gangrene.
Fellow POW Sgt. Leo Cormier said Rubin gave a lot of GIs the courage to live.
"I once saw him spend the whole night picking lice off a guy who didn't have the strength to lift his head," Cormier told the Army. "What man would do that? ... But Ted did things for his fellow men that made him a hero in my book."
As a POW, Rubin turned down repeated offers from the Chinese to be returned to his native Hungary.
"I told them I couldn't go back because I was in the U.S. Army and I wouldn't leave my American brothers because they needed me here," Rubin said.
Rubin wouldn't say anything negative about the Army and his long wait for the Medal of Honor. But in affidavits filed in support of Rubin's nomination, fellow soldiers said their sergeant was allegedly a vicious anti-Semite who gave Rubin dangerous assignments in hopes of getting him killed.
In 1988, the Jewish War Veterans of the United States urged Congress to recognize Rubin's efforts. And U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler (news, bio, voting record) of Florida introduced a bill in 2001 to force the Pentagon to review the records of Jewish veterans who may have been denied the Medal of Honor because they were Jews.
About 150 records remain under review, said Bob Zweiman, past national commander of the Jewish War Veterans.
I think it's great to honor this man to make up for past injustices. I know that I won't do the best job with Gary's story, but the gist of it is that he was in a helicopter that was shot down over Cambodia in 1970. At 20 years old, Gary had flown more than 600 combat missions as an Army helicopter gunner. After his helicopter went down, Gary carried the co-pilot to safety. And then he went back in a plane that was on fire and tried to rescue the pilot. His body was found there. Not only had he been burned by the fire, but he had been shot by the ammunition the plane was carrying.
To receive the Medal of Honor, a soldier must act "above and beyond the call of duty, at risk to life or limb." When you look at the stories of the recipients, Gary Lee McKiddy should have the Medal of Honor. And he probably would've received it in 1970 if his commanding officer hadn't also been killed in combat and the paperwork lost somewhere in Southeast Asia.
President Bush has awarded several Medals long after the fact, including this latest one. Other people keep getting the Medal, but when it comes to Gary McKiddy there is a time limit. It doesn't make sense to me. Currently there is a bill in Congress to have the time limits waived so that Gary Lee McKiddy can be honored for his extreme acts of bravery during Vietnam.
This is a list of US Congressman sponsoring HR 561. If your Representative isn't on the list, consider contacting them and encouraging them to help with this.
If you'd like to read more about Rick's fight, here are some links to some great articles for you.
Brother's love pushes quest for soldier who paid ultimate pricePaying homage to a heroLynch is hero by hype, Warren man by deeds in Vietnam WarFamily keeps medal quest alive for son who died hero in VietnamThank you for reading this. Thanks to all the men and women protecting our freedoms. God bless them and their families. Always.
A walk in the woods and other things...
Song of the Day: "I would've loved you anyway" by Trisha Yearwood. I heard this song today for the first time in a while. It was funny because I'd been talking to a friend about it the other day. I think when things get tough in a relationship, we might start to question if it's worth it. I think no matter how a relationship ends, there are things that made it worth it. Every relationship helps to shape who we are in the end. Even completely, totally shitty relationships are a learning experience. And I definitely wouldn't not start a relationship because it might end up being shitty in the end. How do you know if you don't try? We can't let fear hold us back.
Houston, we have lift-off! Thanks to loads of frequent-flier miles, my trip to the
One Country Concert in Houston is a go. I am starting to get very excited about it. It's going to be a lot of fun for a good cause, and I'm very excited to go visit my friend Jenn and meet some of her friends. I can't wait. I think the only act that I've seen who's on the ticket is Kenny. It's going to be great to see all the other country stars who will be there. I was supposed to see Willie Nelson once, but ironically he cancelled because a hurricane was headed toward his home. Oh, and speaking of Kenny and Willie and charity concerts,
Farm Aid is tomorrow in Chicago. I wish I would've thought to tell someone to buy me a t-shirt. Oh well.
Working on Saturdays is not bad if it's a really cool assignment. Today we had our donor recognition breakfast at our Research & Education Center, which is a 68-acre farm and woods out in the middle of nowhere. The
bagels were great. But the best part was the tour of the farm. We went down in the woods and saw all kinds of herbs and nature. It was great. I never knew there could be so much beauty in one place. What a gem. Right under my nose. I was going to post a link to the web site, but there's been lots of transition over there and it's hopelessly outdated. I know most folks don't know that, but it'll still bother me.
Well I'm off to watch my Vols beat the Gators. It's tied at half-time, but I have faith.
Ding-dong, the witch is dead!
If you know me, you know why I said that. If you don't know me, read People magazine. She's not really dead; she's just left my life. She plays a good singleton. Good luck with that.
Serendipity: Discovering something by accident while investigating something quite different. Kismet. Destiny. Fate. Serendipity was a movie a few years ago starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. Basically the premise is that two people meet in New York City and they have a wonderful evening. At the end of the night the woman, Sara, decides they should let fate take its course. If they are meant to be together, they will be. The movies the twists and turns of that journey. It's a cute film. I guess I've thought about that a lot lately because my life has been filled with bizarre coincidences, interesting accidents and a whole lot of blind faith and belief in destiny lately. And I'm beginning to think if it all works out and your dreams really start to come true, that you are the happiest girl in the world. That's how I'm starting to feel anyhow. And it's fun to put all the puzzle pieces together. I just wonder what's next. I'm sure it'll be something great.
Today I got to play a grown-up at the old alma mater. I went back to the new student welcome at my journalism school. I represented our alumni society and I got to give a little speech and was interviewed for the alumni newsletter. I enjoyed mingling with the students, even though I flapped my jaws too long and all the good refreshments were gone by the time I got to the catering tent! I also got the cutest t-shirt today. It says "You can't spell J
ournalism without OU." Honestly, it might be my favorite shirt. I guess I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to my education. It's very cool that I had the privilege to go to one of the top schools in the country for my field. It's exciting to welcome a new crop of even brighter first-year students into the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism family. It just keeps getting better and better.
Last, but not least. It's time for the
song of the day.
Arlington by Trace Adkins is an absolutely moving, amazing song. Having worked with veterans for a few years and meeting some fascinating men and women who put their asses on the line for the U S of A, this song really gets to me. I had heard there was an online petition on Trace's web site to keep radio stations playing the song. I guess some people were upset by it. It's war folks. It's not pretty. But at least you're just listening on the radio. Anyhow, I'd intended to post a link to that petition, but it seems to be gone. Maybe folks came to their senses. I hear it a lot on the radio. But of course, the hillfolk are pretty pro-military. It made me proud that my grandfather was a veteran. God bless the men and women of our Armed Forces and all of the veterans who served before them. And keep in your prayers 14 more Marines from Ohio who were killed in Iraq today.
It's Tuesday!
Song of the Day: "Wake Up Older" by Julie Roberts, off her self-titled CD. This is a great CD. This song is my favorite song on the album. The first time I heard it, I could relate. I think we've all done it. And besides, more country songs should use the phrase "gettin' it on." Good stuff.
Yesterday I took a sick day. I was miserable. I'm still not 100% today, but remarkably better. Stayed in bed all day. Did finally take a shower and get out of my PJs. Then I slept in my clothes. Sick days are so disappointing. You're miserable, yet you're off work for the day. It's kind of like when I was looking for a new job a few years ago. I had all this free time but had no money to go anywhere good. Oh well.
Today's funny headline: On Yahoo, from an AP article.
Gitmo 'Reverse Stockhold Syndrome' alleged. Worst part? When I got into the article I had to read 8 graphs before I got confirmation that they meant to say Stockholm Syndrome. My best guess? The young kids on the copy desks these days had no idea what it meant. And probably used a spell-checker. Nine times out of 10, spelling errors in proper nouns are caused by spell check on computers. I wouldn't even know how to use spell check. They disabled all our computers in journalism school, and it's something I've never used. Oh, I guess I have. It's called a
dictionary.
Very rare for me not to have much to say, but I'm pretty much tapped out. I am trying to decide if I'm going to go to the
big benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina victims in Houston at the end of the month. I've got a pretty exciting offer on the table, but my mother says if I go one more concert she is changing the locks while I'm gone. I am playing it by ear at this point.
Maternal Urges, Gift Ideas and Charity Fundraisers...
Song of the day: "Squeeze Me In" by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. Another oldie, but goodie, off Garth's
Scarecrow CD. I've always loved this song, but I was out jogging the other day and listening to it on my mp3 player. It got added because I could relate to it right now. And besides, Garth and Trisha are a very cool couple and it's nice that they are finally getting married. I'm also very glad that Trisha has a new CD,
Jasper County, coming out on Tuesday. She's been my favorite singer for as long as she's been releasing CDs, so I'll probably grab a copy as soon as I can this week! I'm just wondering how long Garth will stay retired...
On to charity fundraisers. Since I traipsed into the nonprofit fundraising world a few years ago I am always fascinated with what groups come up with to raise money. When I was at Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America we hosted a Veterans Day fundraiser that was THE place to be on Veterans Day. I worked hard on it, and it was an amazing success. I just hope they keep up the tradition. I'm watching the movie
Calendar Girls right now. That was also a clever idea for a fundraiser, and I remember when there was worldwide media on that calendar. It also raised a lot of money for cancer patients, so that made it an even better thing.
Speaking of really great fundraisers going on right now, The First Amendment Project is doing something really cool, and I think it will raise LOTS of money for them. They have 16 top authors auctioning off your name being mentioned in their next book. Stephen King is one of them; the lucky top bidder on his prize will be killed in his next book "Cell." Some others include Amy Tan, John Grisham, Nora Roberts and Lemony Snicket. It's a nifty idea. I can't afford it, but if it's your thing (or if you're curious like I was) check it out online at:
http://www.thefirstamendment.org/auction.html.
So I went to a Longaberger party today. Won some cool candles and stole a little basket from my mom. Got some great gift ideas (for me and for a couple of weddings I have coming up). Might need to rob a bank to pay for all of it.
Oh, and last but not least: the maternal urges. I'm not getting any younger. And all my friends and cousins getting married, having babies, looking cute with their families doesn't help at all. Anyhow, I went to my cousin's son's (not sure what that makes him to me -- second cousin? first cousin, once removed?) 4th birthday party today. It was cute. Lots of adorable little kids and a few heathens. So the maternal urges came, then another kid popped a balloon, spilled something or hid under a table and they went away. We'll see. Maybe someday...
I'm going to go watch the Colts. Yay Peyton! Still having fun with the blog. Thought I'd lose interest by now...
What did we learn at Church this week?
"This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you." -- John 15: 12-14, New American Bible
Most folks of my generation, especially a lot of my peers from Catholic school, don't seem to connect with Church anymore. Especially not the single folks. Everyone wants to go to Church when they're about to get married (assuming that the decide to get married in the Church) or when they have little ones who need baptized. Which is good if they keep coming to Mass as a family after that.
I'm not like that. I went through the stage where I didn't see the point or just got "too busy" to go to Church. But in college, I met these great women in
Kappa Phi, an interdemoninational organization for college women (think "sorority" with no house and less bad connotations). Anyhow, I've met many lifelong friends there and remain active as an alumna to this day. OK, sidetracked there, but my point is that after Kappa Phi, I started to see the point in Church again. I'm very active in my parish here. I sing in the choir, I help with the high school group and I teach the pre-K through 1st grade CCD class. I try not to miss Church. In fact, I surprised a friend when I hunted a church down in another town on a Saturday night so that I could go to Kenny Chesney's last concert of the year, which was on a Sunday.
This is my faith. If I'm blessed to have children, it will be their faith. I am not sure how I'll pay for 16 years of Catholic school for a few kids, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there. (I'm such an optimist.)
So, I went to Church today. I told you last week that the readings and homily really applied to me. Well, this week was no different. Maybe even more so than last week.
Today's readings:
First Reading: Sirach 27:30--28:7
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
Second Reading: Romans 14:7-9
Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35
Basically, it reminded me that the sinner clings to anger and does not forgive people for their past sins. We are reminded to forgive as many times as we are offended. We are to overlook people's faults. And we are to pray that we do not sin against others and to heal their hearts. Ultimately, it is God who forgives our sins. We are put on earth at God's mercy. We live here for Him. Jesus died for us so that we might live. In exchange he commands us to love everyone as He loves us. Holding anger and resentment is not living up to that command. All I can do is put it in God's hands. I am done with it here on Earth. God bless them and heal their hearts. I lit my candle after Mass again this week.
This is really deep and a little "churchy." It's also the last word on the subject that's been prevalent in my life lately. There's no point in dwelling. It's time to heal and move on. And pray.
Many thanks to all of my insane friends who have listened to me. I couldn't have gotten through everything without having a good group of friends who cared about my problems and letting me cry on their shoulders. You are amazing people and I love you very much. I'm gonna shush about this now. And I want y'all to remind me of what I said this morning from now on when this continues to hurt me, OK?
I'm off to a
Longaberger party and then my cousin's 4th birthday. It should be fun. This morning at church he said (he's 4, remember?) "No one better sing that song for my birthday because I HATE that." When I get back, we'll talk about the First Amendment Project fundraiser, the song of the day, and whatever else crazy stuff ends up in my head before I sit down at the laptop again.
I'm gonna gloat, OK?
Well, sure it's OK. It's my blog.
I already told you about how freaking excited I was about the football game last night. But my wonderful college roommate just sent me a link to a really great story on last night's game. Honestly, it's almost as good as being there. But no, I'm not sharing my rally towel or my thunder sticks. I'm saving them for the rest of the season. Go 'Cats!
Ohio Stuns Pitt in Overtime.Hey, and at least I didn't make you look at pictures of the boy with yellow hair!
Three things that make me cheerful
Stand By Me is on cable. And even though I've literally seen it hundreds of times (I loved River Phoenix and when it came out on video I actually watched it everyday all summer long.), I decided to tune in. And while I was watching, it reminded me to visit one of my favorite blogs,
www.wilwheaton.net. I have always thought Wil was really cool but going and visiting his blog when I get a chance and having talked to him via e-mail, I can tell you he is a class act and a you can't find a nicer guy. I just wish he did more movies and TV so I could see him more often.
Anyhow, Wil had a post this week on his blog. Basically he posted three things that make him cheerful in response to the bad feelings he'd had from watching all the hurricane coverage. It's been really hard to be cheerful lately, and I kind of feel guilty about it anyhow. But I think we all need to do what we can to help but put our own lives into perspective. Most of us have a lot to be thankful for.
Wil encouraged everyone to post three things that make them cheerful. A lot of folks did that on his blog in the comments. I've got mine straightened out so people can post now. If someone happens to read this (hee hee), go ahead and post yours. Oh, and when you get a sec go check out Wil's site. I need to buy his books, too, while I'm thinking about it.
Three things that make me cheerful:
1. I have a loving family and a nice place to live. Most of my family lives nearby and it's nice to be home.
2. My friends are absolutely awesome and they manage to find ways to keep me smiling.
3. My new, crazy little dog. He drives me nuts, but he's so adorable he makes me smile.
I could've listed many more things, and I guess I've been trying to do that everyday anyhow. I just wanted to show it's not hard to think of 3 things. We're all pretty blessed.
I know a few folks who have lost everything (except their lives) in this Hurricane. My prayers continue to be with them and everyone else who's been devastated by Katrina. And now my friend in Georgia tells me Ophelia is headed that way. We'll save the discussion on global warming and devastating storms for another day. Trust me, living in Southern Ohio I have some thoughts on it.
It's College Football Season
We'll start with last night's fun, fun time. My alma mater, Ohio University met the University of Pittsburgh on the gridiron last night. The Friday night game was the first-ever nationally televised football game for OU. When I arrived in on campus 11 years ago to attend the nationally ranked
E.W. Scripps School of Journalism (one of the top five journalism schools in the country), our football team was also nationally ranked: as the second-worst school in Division I. That fall Peyton Manning also went to college, and I followed the Tennessee Volunteers because it was painful to watch Ohio football. I had some good times in Vols Orange singing "Rocky Top," but there were a few times I wish I'd gone to a "football school." I love college football. Of course, I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to receive the education that I did.
A few months ago, Frank Solich arrived in Athens to coach the Bobcats in football. I never followed Nebraska, but I know that Coach Solich did a great job for them and it was apparently a major coup for him to end up in Athens. Everyone has been so excited about the possibility that he might be the coach to revitalize a program that's been ailing for many years. So, last night we went to the game, which was on ESPN 2. When we arrived we got some Ohio thunder sticks and a rally towel so we'd look pretty on TV. For the first time in all my years (including countless games before I was an OU student), Peden Stadium was filled. The game was sold out. And the Bobcats showed up to play. It was the most fun I've had in a LOOONNNNGGG time. And after a nail-biter of a game, the Bobcats won 16-10 in overtime. It's looking like it will be great year for football fans.
Today I spent my entire day in training sessions to teach Religious Ed. at church. Sitting at this beautiful retreat house reading scriptures and chatting with nuns and other Sunday school teachers, it was hard to not fill like God was among us. I learned a lot and it really helped me with everything I've been dealing with lately. I have realized that I can't do anything to change people's hearts except pray, so that's what I've been doing. But I have moments where I'm still upset and disappointed that people can treat you one way to your face and a very different way to your back. And that feeling resurfaced when I arrived home to have some comments relayed to me that were unfair and, frankly, defaming and libelous. I don't care if someone wants to be my friend or not, but I guess it sucks that they would feel the urge to lie about me to other people because I've taken the high road and haven't said a word. Well, I've written this, but I didn't come out and say "(Insert name) is wacko and has serious issues." In fact, despite the fact that people are seeing a completely different version of reality and made tactless personal attacks that were pretty much the last straw, I just dropped it. Because contrary to what you might hear, I am not a mean and vindictive person. I want nothing but the best for my former friends. I'm just not ever giving them the opportunity to break my heart again.
Luckily, I have other friends that I am much better friends with and have been friends with much longer who remind me that I am loved when shit like this is said. It's been a very long week, and I'm very glad that I have an excellent support system. True friends who are there when someone's in need. From my friend Karen, whom I've known for 10 years and love like a sister; to my college roommate and a co-worker, along with a few women who haven't known me nearly as long but have always been here when I needed them. And it goes both ways. I helped a friend find the courage within to deal with a painful divorce. I was there when another's house caught on fire. That's how it is with good friends. You drop everything for them, and when you need them, they come and help you. And, of course, it helps when you hear from the person you really need to hear from the most.
And, of course, I also have the consolation of knowing that karma is a bitch, too.
OK, off that depressing topic and on to the
song of the day: "Need to be next to you" by Sara Evans (from her
Restless CD). I seriously need to compile a CD of baby-making music, and that song is going to end up on there. I'll compile a list for a future blog. Of course, I still need to find someone to test the CD out on, too. Although the "short list" is significantly shorter these days.
No clever title today...
Let's start with the
Song of the Day: "Nothin' to Lose" by Josh Gracin. I was listening to it on my mp3 player today. First of all it reminds me of going to see Josh in Columbus in March. It was an awesome show. We were in the front row. I have great pics in my
Photobucket, if anyone hasn't seen them. And honestly, I think Josh is the closest thing to Garth Brooks out there right now. Lots of energy, puts on a great show. I know you'd think that with all the Kenny shows I've seen this year that I could compare Kenny to Garth, and I could. Kenny's shows are BIG. He has a lot of money to put something fancy together, and then he charges me a lot to come see it. For just being a man, a band and a bar, Josh puts on one helluva show. Kenny has a lot more resources to do it. So, it's like apples to oranges. Anyhow, if you haven't seen Josh live, go. Actually if you haven't seen Kenny, you should do that too. Last word on this song: I think that it explains why I chased a boy with yellow hair across America all summer. Sometimes you do crazy things when someone catches your eye. If we could explain it, I think relationships would be a lot easier...
I never did finish this post Thursday night. Got a little sidetracked. So, I'll leave it as it is and move on to Saturday if that's OK.
Not much to say today...
Song of the Day: "Play Something Country" by Brooks and Dunn. It's a fun song with a fun video. And it kind of reminds me of me. Ain't nothin' a shot of Crown and a good Bocephus song can't fix. Is there? I'm not a huge Brooks and Dunn fan, but I really like that song. They have their moments.
Not too much else going on today. My dad's dog Ace finally claimed her dog bed back from Sparky. Actually, she and Sparky have been sharing it. It's a pretty big bed and they are sleeping at opposite ends. It's cute. No ads for Sparky being missing in the paper. I am OK with that.
I went to Bath & Body Works today because I have a defective shower gel container. The little flip-top was broken and nothing came out. I thought they might have a new top, but she says they have to exchange it. While I was there I got some $5 bubble baths. That place sucks me in EVERY time.
Today's random thought: How can such a short e-mail make someone smile so much? And there's nothing like a game of "Am I Cuter Than Them?" to boost the old self-esteem.
Malibu, babies and chocolate cheesecake...
After spending my whole summer at way too many Kenny Chesney concerts, I became quite the afficionado of
Cruzan Rum. I am not sure if there is anything better than coconut rum and diet pop, generally Coke Zero or Diet Coke with Splenda at home these days. So, today my cousin Leslie and I popped into a local watering hole and had a few drinks. Of course, I don't think anyone except Chesney fans and people who live in the Virgin Islands drink Cruzan, so I had Malibu and diet pepsi. Never been a huge Malibu fan, but today it tasted pretty good. I love all the different flavors of Cruzan. The raspberry is pretty damn good. It makes a great daiquiri. Oh, and some guy named Rip hit on me. I think Rip was a little too old for me and way too drunk for me.
When we got back to Leslie's house, my cousin Charlie was there with her baby. He is such a cute little pudgy thing. I tried to get her to give him to me (saves me several steps), but she seems to be attached. She did, however, mention she can never afford a babysitter so I told her to let me know when she needed someone because I would watch him for free. Such a precious little thing. I need to go to Dairy Queen after a little league game to diffuse the urges to have children.
There was this awesome chocolate cheesecake with raspberry topping at our cookout today. Now, I am beginning to think that chocolate cheesecake could be the solution to all the world's problems. Just sit our world leaders down with a chocolate cheesecake and give them forks and see what they come up with.
Speaking of world leaders, at some point I'm probably going to feel the urge to comment on the busy week our president has had. I am really not surprised at all to our government's response to Hurricane Katrina for many reasons. I am still mulling over this Supreme Court thing. Perhaps with the death of Chief Justice Rehnquist and the elevation of Roberts to be nominated to that role, we can get another woman on the Court. I just wonder if Roberts will have a tougher confirmation hearing this way. They were already comparing him to Bork when he was just up to become an associate justice. I haven't really been following it. I know I should, but I haven't. Did you know Ken Starr was almost nominated about 15 years ago?
Tomorrow is back to work after a long weekend. It feels very much like Sunday, and obviously I didn't get to bed early tonight. At least it'll be a short week. I need to just lock myself in my office and work really hard tomorrow. Cross your fingers that it'll be quiet. I like my new office, but it gets very difficult having no walls. Of course, now my boss keeps mentioning moving me back where I was. Thank goodness I still haven't unpacked, right?
One parting thought: Exactly how much does it cost to make a cell call from Tortola? I don't want to think about the bill, but it's nice when people check in.
Horoscopes and other things...
First of all, this was the horoscope that greeted me in my inbox this morning (Thanks, Tarot.com!):
You are in a playful mood now that the Moon has entered your 5th House of Fun and Games. Others are lucky to be around you when you are like this, but there's a part of you that cannot let go of a nagging problem. Keep in mind that you may be seeking a solution to something that is beyond your control.I thought all things considered that was a little creepy. I know that I have to let things go, but sometimes that is easier said than done. And I've never had to deal with anything like this before. I'm not the world's most religious person, but I do believe and try to go to Church every Sunday. All I can do about that situation is pray. Because God knows that I alone cannot turn anyone's hearts. If I could, it would've happened already. So, it's time to Let Go and Let God, I guess. I just have to trust Him; which is one of the hardest things I struggle with. I have my control freak tendencies.
Today's
song of the day is an oldie, but a goodie. Most likely just because I miss someone. Ever since I saw him in Washington, D.C., in June, I have been loving Uncle Kracker. He has a great voice and is an awesome songwriter. It doesn't hurt that he's from The Big D. In many ways, that place will always be home. Anyhow, this song reminds me of this guy I like. It seems like he's as confused as to why I might like him as I am to why he might like me. But everyone seems to think we'd be a good couple, so that's a good thing. Anyhow, I think this guy's pretty great. And the first time I heard this song, I thought of it as our kind of "theme song," even though I haven't told him that yet. I've been waiting to see if I need to use it.
Anyhow, today's song of the day comes from Uncle Kracker's
No Stranger to Shame CD. If you don't have it, you need to get it. The song that reminds me of my little guy is "I Do." I'm going to put the lyrics here so you can check it out. (Not sure on the legalities of that, but my best hope is that Matt would forgive me. I think he'd agree that it's for a good cause.)
You spend your lonely days lookin' for someone
I just wanna be the one that makes your river run
I know it ain't so fun bein all alone
And I know you wonder when you'll find yourself a home
You ain't foolin' no one baby
See you don't believe in you
But i do
Yeah i do
Oh i do
Yeah i do
If you want some company
I don't mind a ride
I don't want your money baby
And I don't want your pride
You might think I'm crazy
You just might be shy
I think this is good for us
But I could just be high
We can make this happen baby
I believe that's true
Yeah i do
Yes i do
Oh i do
Yes i do
You keep on lookin' baby
I hope it's all too sweet
I hope its fairy tales
And everything you dream
But just remember that we ain't all this kind
When you get tired of lookin' baby
I ain't hard to find
Your wastin' all your time out there
Cuz they don't care about you
But i do
Yeah i do
Oh i do
Yeah i do
Oh i do
Yeah i do
Sparky and the 5K
First a random thought: Ever since my friend told me that "Redneck Yacht Club" by Craig Morgan reminded her of her tropical vacay, I get a little smile every time I hear it. I hope they're having fun and Maria and whatever hurricanes might be behind her hold off until they are home safely.
Now, Sparky. This little mutt is the most exciting thing to happen to me in ages. BUT he followed my car today and they weren't sure he was smart enough to get back home. We'll have to work on that. But I promised a picture and here it is.
The 5K was fun. I need to get back in shape. My time wasn't great, but it's been a while since I'd done one and I'd hardly say I've been training. I will get back there. Just need to keep at it. I am sure I'll be ready for the Music City Marathon in April. Of course, it looks like I will be living in NashVegas by then, so I may want to go somewhere else just to shake it up a little. But definitely in the Spring I'll be doing 13.1 miles in some race. And no more getting out of shape. That sucks. Avoided ALL fair food after the race. That was a major accomplishment!
I decided today that my tan Cruzan Rum t-shirt might be my most comfortable piece of clothing. It's great for working out, but I've worn it out in public before too. It's just a nice shirt. Especially for free...
I'm all blogged out for today. I have to admit this is very therapeutic, but I'm beginning to think my friends got me into it so i didn't bore them with all the little details of my life no one cares about!
What we learn at Church and other good things
First of all, I'm going to try to do this everyday. I have LOTS of favorite songs, and y'all should be listening. So...
...
Song of the Day: "Come a Little Closer" by Dierks Bentley. I heard this song again today (Have got to go get the CD!) and I can't decide which is sexier, it or Billy Currington's new song "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right." Regardless, I need to add this to the list of "songs I'd like to make babies to." It's a great song. And from everything I hear, Dierks' new CD is well worth $15 or so. It's on my list of stuff to buy, along with Faith Hill, JoDee Messina and Brad Paisley's new CDs.
So, now that I've talked about baby-makin' music, on to what I learned at Church today. Ever have one of those days when you feel like the priest (preacher, rabbi, shaman, minister, etc.) seems to be talking just to you? Well, someone told me a long time ago that it's because if you really pray that God speaks to you, he will during the service. Today was one of those days for me. The Gospel reading was from
Matthew 18:15-20. Anyhow, this was just what I needed today. Actually I probably needed it a few days ago because I didn't follow the advice Jesus gave here and caused a big mess by confronting a few of my friends. Of course, by confronting them I found out the root of the problem and that I really needed to get things in order with one person. Some things were said, and I learned who my true friends were. Even though this group of women that I loved like my own sisters ended up disappointing me, I found out exactly who was there for me. One friend offered to fly me thousands of miles for a getaway weekend. (An offer that was way too generous for me to accept.) Another friend took time out from her awesome stress-free vacation to listen to me cry. It was a real learning experience. But I have a wonderful support team behind me who loves me no matter what, and that is true friendship. As for the other, there is no point in arguing or harboring ill will. What's done is done and cannot be taken back. All I can do is forgive and move on, having learned a very valuable lesson. I have always loved my friends and accepted them unconditionally, and it makes me very sad that not everyone operates that way. For months, I've lit one candle at Church for all my friends and despite everything, the prayer that was sent to God today didn't change. He knows what is in everyone's hearts.
I'm off to do a 5K today. I am not even sure what it's for but I'm doing it with all my cousins. I am pretty sure it's for a scholarship fund in our little town. I just needed to walk 3.1 miles today. I am going to start training for either the Knoxville 1/2 Marathon in March or the Music City 1/2 Marathon in Nashville in April. It'll depend on my schedule. Spring is a very long ways away.
It's the second full day that Sparky's been here. I guess my aunt saw someone drop him off, so I'm guessing we're stuck with him. That's OK. He needs a home, and we've got plenty of room here. My dad's dog hates him, but she'll get used to it. I'll try to get out with the digital and post some pictures later.
This blogging thing is kind of fun. I'll see what other wisdom I can pull out of my hat later on. I've got to go get ready for my race!
The very first post
Well, this is my blog. I'm not sure what I am doing or why I've decided to do it. We'll see how this works out. I figure "Hey, it's free!" So, if I don't like it, I'll move on to something else. I think everyone needs their own little home in cyberspace, and maybe someone cares what I have to say. I also hear that keeping a journal is therapeutic. And who couldn't use a little therapy? After all, I AM out of chocolate...
I'll try to keep up on this although I am dreadful at stuff like this. I could never keep up with a written diary. My friend Kay yells at me all the time for not having a journal. I just haven't ever seen the point. I do in spurts, but then I get frustrated because I haven't said anything for months on end. Perhaps with having it here, y'all will yell at me if I don't keep up with it. If anyone even cares enough to read. Do people read other people's blogs? I don't even know. I guess I have some that I read (I'll post links as soon as I figure out how...) so maybe they do.
I figure my first task in the blog world is telling people a little about me. I will come up with some stuff. I guess the biggest thing is that I am writer by nature and I don't get to write nearly enough. Perhaps this experiment will stop the brain atrophy. I am pretty damn impressed that I went all this time with no swear words (oops!) but I can get a little excitable. I'll try to be good. Honest.
I am really sad about this hurricane situation. The first group of refugees to get to Ohio are arriving tonight and I am going to try to coordinate some collection efforts for supplies. It's the least I can do. We buried a family friend today. People all over the south are dying because of the hurricane. Another friend died very unexpectedly at 35 a few weeks ago. So all things considered, my life's not too bad. I have one, I have a house to live in. I have a new puppy because someone abandoned their cute little dog here (unless he's just lost and they claim him, but that rarely happens). I call him Sparky. He's one of those mutts who's so ugly he's cute. We're quickly becoming good pals. The new Gretchen Wilson CD is coming out in a couple of weeks. I got in a little jog today (Sparky went with and didn't have water, so we came back earlier than usual). Life is good.
