Veteran's Day

Love love living in this country of ours and I'm especially greatful for those who have fought to make it what it is. Especially you, Mike. I'm very proud of you. I feel a great deal of indebtedness to those who have done something that I know that I'll never do, but I can remember them.

So even though I'm not from our great 51 state...erm I mean Canada I really love the following poem and it means a lot to mean on today for the 11th hour of the 11th month.

In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the the crosses, row on row,
That mark the 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 your quarrel with the foe:
To you from falling 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.
-Lt. Col. John McCrae

The Monday Blahs

I've decided that I really should not do Mondays.

That goes double for Monday mornings.

I should just not do anything for them. Stay at home, in bed, preferably asleep.

I'll have to figure out how I feel about Tuesdays tomorrow, but I don't think that the future looks very bright for them.

Where Were You When...

That's the question we all asked our parents about certain big events in history that have shaped our lives.

Last night I was doing something about those events. I was voting for the 44th President of the United States of America.

I'm one of probably thousands of people across this country who can say that we've met Mr. Obama on a campain stop. I've voted for him in every primary and every general election I could because I not only agree with his politics, but I genuinely believe he represents what he said about America last night in his acceptance speech. We are the change that can be wrought in the world, not because we want to force our ideals on anyone else or because we have the greatest and the best. We are that hope of building on our past towards a better future. "Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow." That's what our President-Elect told us last night. That's what he's been telling us for the last 21 months. That's why voter turn out was the highest it's been in 40 years. That's why I fell in love with the political process again and contributed.

Thank you Mr. Obama for inspiring us to particiate these last two years. Thank you for letting us know that it was what we can do on an indiviual basis that swells our numbers to that large crowd we saw last night in Grant Park.

Now let's go be the change.

My Halloween Costume

I think that change for change's sake can be good. For example yesterday, I had hair that was longer...today, my hair is far shorter. Much shorter. People at work didn't recognize me. I'm in cognito. How should I top it tomorrow?

About Last Night...

Have you ever had one of those days that you wake up and immediately think, "Can't it be tomorrow?" That was my yesterday. It was crazy busy and I felt like I was going from one thing to another and I really needed to and wanted to do everything I had on my schedule, but I still didn't have enough hours in the day to complete all my tasks.


But then came the two hours that made my whole day worth it. My sister and I (along with 200 of our closest Nerdfighter frieds) got to spend two hours at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL with John Green in celebration of the release of his newest book PaperTowns. Like many people, I didn't start reading his books until after I was introduced (by my sister Kathryn who loves all great YA lit) to his and his brother Hank's vlog Brotherhood 2.0 early last year, but I really respect what he has to say. It was fun and relaxing and really a good time to be able to spend with someone who has something interesting to say. Although it did get a little dicey when John decided to stand on the swivel chair on wheels to speak to all of us. I've never been to a book signing/author talk where the author has been so aware of his audience and that he really does a responsibility towards them. Thanks John!

Congratulations to Kathryn for finishing her book!!! I'm so proud of you!

Getting Away While Not Away

Today I had a bad day and so it made me want to get away from it all. That made me think about getting away when I can't get away. As my mortgage company is one of the few left in the country that's still solvent, I can't just up and leave my job to crash-land on some crazy island or run away from my family and go back to my original identity. Never fear for my mental health! I have a happy place I go to when I'm feeling down...


Yes, nothing can take me away from all my worries like $2.19 worth of chocolate frozen custard. Eaten in the parking lot. Usually before I've pulled away from the drive-through window. That way I can dispose of the evidence before I get home. It's like the calories never really happened. Right?

Did I mention that I've recently had to start shopping for new pants? (They look better on her than they do on me.)

A Little While Longer...

The reason I haven't posted is because I've spent the last six weeks in Laos saving children from Malaria and because of my intese dedication to that cause...okay, so really I've just been too wrapped up in my own life to think about it.

I did spend one weekend in Louisville with William and Liahni to see thier nephew Nolan Chandler and the Cardinal Men play a great soccer game at University of Louisville. Go Cards! They are now ranked 11th in the nation and I'm sure that it has nothing to do with the fact that I attended one game this season. I'm always so impressed by the caliber and intensity that it takes to play at that level. All I can say is that I hope never to have run that much in my life. I understand why they get so sweaty.

We also learned about the Derby--Southern style. Thank goodenss I went to the museum so I know how to properly bet on the ponies next time I'm at the track. We spent most of our time coming up with names for our horses. I think mine would have to be something about shoes, maybe like Pair of Heels or Stilletos or something like that.

We did eat at this totally fun place called Lynn's Paradise Cafe where I ate part of two of the greatest blueberry pancakes ever put on plates before me. I think William enjoyed his meal too as he said he wanted to lick the sauce off his plate if he could have.

For me though the best part was when we went to 5th street. It really wasn't that much fun down there (it was late and I was tired and it was much cooler up on Bardstown Rd and more localish--as in fewer out of towners) and everyone was so drunk by the time we got there that no one was cool to talk to. But on the way in I got carded. It's been a while since that happened. In fact last time I went to a club about a year ago, I tried to show ID, but they just waved me through. Then, I was a bit put off. Now, I was happy to get carded. Let me just bask in that for a moment more...

The last two days I've spent on the couch trying to recover from being sick. I hate getting sick. But it does let me catch up on the television time; and with the new fall shows ahveing started, the DVR does get quite full. I was very happy to see one of my favorite actors back on Ugly Betty this week! Thank you Freddy Rodriguez for making me feel better on a Thrusday night when I was ready to die. If Gio and Betty aren't going to get together this season (what's going to happen with the neighbor across the hall?) I'll be more than happy to help out!