Showing posts with label current events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label current events. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Wednesday, April 16, 2014 - ,,, 2 comments

How I Know Russia Is Serious about Ukraine

For many weeks now, I have watched with concern and dismay on what is going on in Ukraine and Russia's involvement in it. I have several draft posts that I couldn't complete while the headline was timely.

I think that much of the problem is of the West's making. It's that same smug superiority that I detected from the American broadcasters during the Olympics. Russians are a proud people with plenty of history and culture to be proud of. (And some things to be less proud of, but don't we all.)

Shortly after the end of the Olympics, Russia started making its play for Crimea. I saw expert after expert say that Russia didn't really want to posses Crimea. They just wanted to make sure that they had continued access to their military bases there and that Ukraine didn't get too cozy with the West. We now know that all of that analysis was wrong. They have "accepted" Crimea into the Russian Federation.

At the time, I noticed something interesting in my blog stats here. In the past, there has been a significant amount of traffic from Russia.  Usually, it was second below the US. It's not that I thought my content was so attractive to Russians. I figured that it was mostly bots and hackers, etc., but still.  When all this stuff in the Crimea started happening, all the Russian traffic went away. I suppose that the Russian government is blocking sites in the US (and perhaps Western Europe, too).

So now, the Russian agitation has stepped up in Eastern Ukraine. Once again, Putin has said that he's not interested in taking over anything, but he'll "protect" ethnic Russians (or Russian speakers). I still haven't figured out what he would be protecting them from. It seems that the ethnic Russians are causing all the ruckus, even if they've had to be imported from Russia proper. Once again the analysts are staying that Putin/Russia is not interested in taking more territory for Russia. Just doesn't want undue Western influence.

I don't know if they are right or wrong about Eastern Ukraine. Maybe the analysts were really right in Crimea, but the ethnic Russians didn't get with Putin's program. After the vote, he had hardly any choice than to accept them into the Russian Federation once they asked for it.

I do know this. People in Russia are still not visiting my blog. It's still being blocked.  Think about that.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 - ,,, 6 comments

Hodgepodge - Out Like a Lion?

Ending the month with some March inspired questions in this week's Hodgepodge. Joyce over at From This Side of the Pond once again has provided an interesting variety of questions. Come and play!


1. March is known as the windy month. Which of the following phrases best fits your March so far...'throw caution to the wind', 'three sheets to the wind', 'run like the wind', or 'see which way the wind blows'?

It certainly has been very windy here, literally. I guess the phrase that matches my life recently would be "see which way the wind blows." I have been unsure whether my position was going to be eliminated at work. Now, I'm pretty confident now about getting a year contract extension. Just need to get one more "t" crossed. So that's some good news. :)

2. Your favorite green food? Your favorite dish made with your favorite green food?

That would definitely be pesto. Favorite dish? Anything made with pesto. ;)

3. Ever been locked out of your home-car-office-anywhere? Do tell!

All of the above. The most recent one was when I was locked out of my car last July. I was traveling with my mother through Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. I was in a rush to get to the boat dock before it closed, and left the keys on the console. We made the boat, but naturally, I didn't realize that I didn't have my keys until we were returning to the car.

Luckily, my AAA was in full force, and a really cute tow truck driver was there within 45 minutes to retrieve my keys from the car. I was actually very impressed by the method that he used that didn't damage the car in any way. He also was very kind and didn't make me feel like a fool. He earned a slightly larger tip because of that. ;)

4. Yoda, Kermit, Shrek, The Wicked Witch of the West, Oscar the Grouch, The Grinch, or Mike Wasowski (Monsters Inc.)...of the green characters listed, which one's your favorite and why?

It would have to be Kermit because I've known him all my life. I remember him from Sesame Street, & I loved him in The Muppet Show. He somehow was always the voice of reason in a chaotic world. Self deprecating yet self confident. It's a hard wire the balance on, but Kermit has negotiated it magnificently.

5. "The first task of a leader is to keep hope alive."~Joe Batten Do you agree? Why or why not?

Sure. People have to be inspired in order to put in the effort required to be consistently successful. The leader needs to provide the vision then be the cheerleader that gets all the people across the finish line.

6. Share a favorite song with an emotion in it's title.

" Happy" is still my current favorite song. Listening to it makes me ...



7. What's a road trip you'd like to take?

Since realizing that I probably will have a job after July 1st, I've been fantasizing about having some sort of vacation in the summer. I've been thinking about two places. The first is just outside the north east entrance of Yellowstone. It's a beautiful overlook that has the most incredible smell of pine. I want to experience that again.

The other please is the southwest corner of Colorado. I drove thru there on my way to Idaho from West Texas. It looks so different from the idea I have about Colorado. It's around the Mesa Verde, beautiful farmland with rolling hills. I was driving so intently from point A to point B that I didn't have a chance to appreciate it. I would love to have that opportunity again.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I cannot believe the outrage generated by Kim and Kanye's Vogue cover. I like nice clothes. I'm not a fashionista. No doubt this will sound a bit condescending, but find Vogue to be a bit superficial. I haven't read it in a while, but the last time I did for every page of fashion lay outs there were about 5 pages of ads.

First, I don't follow the Kardashians by any stretch of the imagination. However, the picture of Kim and Kanye on the cover is beautiful. The clothes are exquisite. So, people are complaining about the fact that these beautiful people are wearing beautiful clothes on the cover of a fashion magazine? Really? I'm sure that I missing something, but in comparison with all the horrible things going on in the world today, it doesn't seem worth the energy that people are putting into it.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - ,,,, No comments

A Springtime Hodgepodge

Joyce over at From This Side of the Pond has provided some Springtime questions for this week's Hodgepodge. Join us and play!

1.  Thursday marks the first day of spring...to celebrate would you rather plant a garden or go for a walk in the woods? Would either of those activities be possible on Thursday where you live?

I would rather walk in the woods. It would be possible on Thursday but not likely for me.

2. When did someone last spring something on you? (or when did you last spring something on someone?)

Answer here is to numerous to mention. Something like 20 minutes ago.

3.  We often think of spring as a time for new beginnings. What's something you'd like to start doing this spring?

I'd like to stop having to fight fires. It might help people quit spring things on me. ;)

4. Where do you like to sit in a movie theatre? When did you last sit there, and what were you watching?

I like to sit front center , not in the very first row, maybe about three rows back. It's combo for a couple reasons. First, it  has to do with getting older and wearing glasses. I see better closer. The second is going to the movie Armageddon years ago. The movie theater was so full that I had to sit near the front. The sides of the screen went beyond my peripheral vision. When the spacecraft was dodging asteroids in space, I actually felt like I was in the ship with them. Luckily, it didn't cause motion sickness, but it is added a level of realism that I have always sound exciting. Sitting that close has helped me feel more engrossed in the movies I've seen ever since I've started doing it. So, unless I'm forced to sit someplace else, I always want to sit towards front in the center.

5. When you meet someone for the very first time, what do you want them to think about you?

That I'm kind and wise ... and beautiful. On a good day, it might be two out of three. Hopefully, I get at least one. ;)

6. March is frozen food month (yes, really!). Besides ice cream (gotta make you think a little) what's your most often purchased frozen food item?

Flash frozen chicken tenders.  They cook up so easily in just a few minutes. :)

7. What's something you avoid?

Confrontation? If I see something really wrong or something that I'm passionate about, I will not hesitate. I might prepare, but I will act. However, for something superficial, something the only affects me, or because I'm bored, no way. I'm not one of those people the gets into a fight just for the sake of it.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Crimea. Oy! I've wanted to post about it for weeks, but everything's so fluid that just as I'm about ready, the whole situation changes. None of the experts have a clue, so why should I?

I do think that the patronizing attitude the West has had about Russia and Putin and a lack of sensitivity to Russian history has a lot to do with the spot we're in. And, Russia is not like North Korea or Iran that can be isolated or forced into submission. (North Korea is willing to let all its people starve to death rather than capitulate, and it took over 30 years to get Iran to come to the negotiating table.) Russia is the biggest country in the world with vast natural resources. They could survive significant isolation for a good long time. That's one thing that Russia's good at, waiting out a siege.

Now we have the tiger by the tail. It's dangerous to allow Russia to get away with the annexation of Crimea. It's dangerous if we try to stop it. Putin can laugh at our sanctions, and he's right. Russia is the only country (except for maybe China) that turn the USA into dust.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Thursday, January 09, 2014 - , No comments

My 7 for 2013

Time for my annual survey. I love the consistency of looking at it from year to year. However, I'm up for a little tweaking of the format. I'm also going to be a bit more succinct with my answers. My thoughts are as detailed and complex as ever, but I don't seem to have the energy and patience to write it all down.  Here it goes...

1. What were the best things that happened to you personally in 2013?
  •  Getting to teach ballroom dancing at the local university, which has the bonus of giving me an opportunity to dance. Next round of classes begin the day after MLK Day.
  • My mom's visit in July. My mother hasn't been to visit me in a long long time. It was nice to have her see my apartment and then to see Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks at the peak of their summer splendor.

 


2. What was the worst thing that happened to you personally in 2013?
  • I can't remember anything particularly terrible that happened. I do live in a state of perpetual uncertainty with my employment status. I feel confident that I'm doing a good job and get continual positive feedback, but I'm not sure that they can afford my position. I know that I'm not the only person in this situation, but it's a difficult place to live.
3. What were the best things to happen to all of us in 2013?
  • The federal budget deal. Republicans & Democrats coming together and getting something accomplished without putting the whole country and the world into a panic. I know we still have a long way to go, and I'm sure there will be relapses. Just the idea that it is possible in this polarized environment gives hope.
  • The revelations about the NSA from Edward Snowden (and the journalists who are covering the story). It was/is terrible that it's happening, but it is great that it has seen the light of day. Secret police are the tools of totalitarian states not democracies. With everything behind closed doors it is a secret police regardless of how ethical and rule abiding they claim to be.  The government says, "Trust me." I am reminded of an old phrase, "Trust but verify." There has not been a lot going on in the government that has engendered my trust of late.  I might have to find myself a tin hat. All the conspiracy theorists' claims seem to be coming true. We'll see if Obama implements any of the recommendations of the panel he appointed to review what the NSA is doing.
  • The Syrian chemicals weapons deal. It doesn't look like it has helped much in the civil war there, but just having those things out of circulation is a good thing, period. I think that it also may have facilitated the nuclear agreement that we got with Iran. A long way from seeing where that will end up, but there's cause for hope there too.
4. What were the worst things to happen to all of us in 2013?
  • The Boston Marathon bombing.
  • NSA revelations. I know I said it was a good thing, but good grief, I can hardly believe the extent of it. Nor can I believe that we only have one lone federal judge so far that thinks it constitutes unreasonable search and seizure and is therefore unconstitutional. I always considered myself a great supporter of our National Security apparatus. Like I said. When it gets to the level of "secret police" (read Gestapo, KGB, etc.), we have gone too far.
  • Intransigence in Washington. The system was set up to make it difficult to do things, but that was to prevent rash action. Slow things down a little to give people a chance to really think about what they're doing, but this is too much. We don't seem to have leaders.  They seem more like petulant children. I have hope because of the budget deal, but I just saw today or yesterday another grandstanding maneuver about no negotiation. "Fine," I thought. "You obviously don't want to get that issue resolved. What's the point?"
5. Favorite movies of 2013 (in no particular order):
  • Star Trek: Into Darkness  I really like where JJ Abrams is going with this reboot. I loved how the Khan storyline was twisted and tweaked but still stayed true to the characters. Now, last I heard, he's heading up the new Star Wars movies. Let's just say, I'm pleased.
  • RED 2  The comedy? Fantastic. The spoofs on spy & other action/adventure films? Great! Helen Mirren? Fabulous, as always.
  • The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug  Tolkien nerds can whine all they want. I loved the way they incorporated more of the elves and especially Legolas into the storyline. Made my heart go pitter-pat. (That is by no means the only reason it make my top three. lol)  Can hardly wait for the last installment.

6. Review of 2013's Resolutions. I might have actually accomplished some of them this year!
  • Find an alternate term for "bucket list." I've never cared for the euphemism of "kicking the bucket," so bucket list was never very attractive. What I'm now developing is a Leap List. I saw it somewhere online. I don't remember the origin story, but I'm thinking of it as Leaping into Adventure. :)
  • Find a non-church activity in town. I did it! I mentioned earlier that I'm teaching ballroom dance at the local university. They liked me so well that I'm starting another round in January.
  • Make action plans for my goals, so I have a plan on how to get there instead of just wishing that it'll happen. I did make the action plans. I'm not sure how much they contributed towards me achieving my goals, but it's a start.
  • There were a few others, but we won't talk about those. *smirk*
7. Resolutions for 2014?
  • I'm sorry to admit that I haven't made them yet. I have some goals, but that has to do mostly with my employment situation. They aren't particularly focused on self-improvement. I'll have to think more about hat.

There you have it. I went into a little more detail than I intended. Guess I had a little that I needed to get off my chest.

Here's to a happy and healthy 2014 for us all!

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Thursday, October 17, 2013 - ,,,,,,, 4 comments

Congratulations Congress

I congratulate the U.S. Congress for ending the government shutdown and extending the debt limit Wednesday. I say that without any sarcasm. They could have let pride push all of us over the edge.  They decided as a body  not to do that.  For that I am very thankful.

What did pushing it that far accomplish?  Effectively nothing.  Senator John McCain referred to the episode as a "fool's errand," and I have to agree.  However, what would have been worse would have been to allow this episode to continue.

Did they kick the can down the road?  Yes, but better than letting it explode in our face.  I have the smallest sliver of hope that perhaps the Congress will have been singed enough from this fiasco to work to prevent it at least in the immediate future.

If not, I may have to consider supporting Jesse Ventura for president.  And, the funny thing is, I don't know whether I'm kidding.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Saturday, October 12, 2013 - ,,,, 2 comments

Compromise, What's That?

Don't you just love people who look at the past with rose colored glasses?  People where nicer.  Children had respect for their elders.  Politicians worked together easily with respect.  No wait .. they didn't.  My "favorite" is the Caning of Senator Charles Sumner.

That being said, I am completely disgusted by the childish petulant behavior of the House Republicans. "We don't know what we want, but you better give it to us right now!"

And now, a word about "Compromise" from This Day Today: July 16th...


Get it together, people!

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Saturday, July 20, 2013 - ,,,,, 6 comments

I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me

I have made it my business to avoid the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case. To me it's just another court case singled out for special media attention, one out of the thousands that occur in the U.S.  It is just one of all those that illustrate the continuing prejudices and racism  that continue to run through our society.

Where is the outrage for all the other sons who are assaulted or killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time through no fault of their own?

I hate that this case was presented as a referendum on justice for all the kids (regardless of their race or ethnicity) who are unfairly suspected to be up to no good. It's too much pressure for a case like this to withstand.

Those people who were looking to this case for justice would be satisfied with nothing less than the conviction of George Zimmerman whether or not he was guilty of breaking the law. (Maybe the law is bad and should be changed, but that is an entirely different issue.)

Friday, President Obama was quoted as saying, "Trayvon could have been me."  That is certainly true. I imagine he was watched and monitored unfairly through his whole life, probably more so as he entered elite universities, etc.

I do think that the prevalence of racism is better than it was 35 years ago. That is not saying that I think it's good.  Racial profiling still goes on everyday, just ask your Muslim neighbors.

We don't even have to be in any particular category to be watched.  President Obama said that Treyvon Martin could have been him, but the truth is that we're all being watched and monitored everyday. If you didn't realize it before, the recent information that has come out about the NSA data collection systems and capabilities has shown it to us.

We all have cause to feel like Trayvon being watched and followed even though we haven't done anything illegal. Where's President Obama's outrage about that?

What happened between Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman that fateful day is a tragedy.  Period.  It's just about two people, one African-American and one Hispanic, and their families.  It's tragic enough without making it the standard bearer for justice in our society.

Rather than asking one person to be punished for the sins of our society, perhaps we should look at the institutions within our society that have us running so scared, acting so paranoid, that we must watch everyone in order to feel safe.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Tuesday, June 25, 2013 - ,, 2 comments

How Much Is Enough Information?

Edward Snowden is experiencing his 15 minutes of fame.  Mr. Snowden, formerly working for a government contractor working for the NSA, released/leaked classified information, which revealed that the NSA has ordered Verizon (and other wireless carriers) to provide a database of all the calls of all of their numbers. All. Every. One.

Apparently, Mr. Snowden currently is enjoying the comforts of Moscow's transit lounge en route to a country that will offer him asylum. I find it interesting that the media are more focused on this chase around the world that is starting to resemble a game of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego than about the massive database possessed by the NSA. They were somewhat less blasé when the story broke about the wiretaps at the Associated Press. Interesting, redirecting the narrative to reduce focus on the truly disturbing aspects of these revelations, very interesting.

But, I want to get back to this point that the NSA has these "rolling court orders," which they can use to order carriers to provide this metadata to them. They provide the calling number, the receiving number, the date/time/length of call, which can be kept on file for five years.

Whether Mr. Snowden is a patriot or a traitor is a discussion for another day. Regardless, we would not know that this was going on  if he had not shared this information. Truth be told, I read enough spy novels that I thought they were doing this, but I was surprised at my indignation of having my suspicions confirmed.

How do you feel about the government having all of your call information?  As you may suspect, I'm not too happy about it. Why?

The "party line" from the Intelligence Community is that they need it, so if they get a lead on a particular phone number, they can search the database to which numbers they're talking to. It's all okay because they originally receive a secret court order that our cell provider is prohibited from revealing to anyone. We shouldn't feel like we're under surveillance because there are no names on the database.

Let me tell you something. There's this thing called the internet. You may be familiar with it. You give me a phone number, and in 30 seconds or less, I'll be able to tell you all kinds of things about the person linked to that number, including their name.  The NSA or the White House saying that we have nothing to be concerned about because our name isn't in the database is worse than nonsense. It implies that they think we're stupid.

The next insulting proposition is that if I don't support storing and trolling of this  metadata information that I must not care about security. Wrong.  I just think that if they have suspicions about someone, they should have to get an individual personalized warrant for the information. What I don't understand is the need for generic, just give us everything on everyone,  rolling court order. This trolling net captures the innocent along with the guilty. It seems to be the very definition of "unreasonable search and seizure."

You may ask, "If I'm not doing anything wrong, why should I worry? They're never going to have a reason to look at my information. They're never going to feel the need to waste their time matching my number with my name, right?"  Well, that may be true today.  Let's even say that there are checks and balances within the system that keeps the government from abusing my information (that we're just starting to learn about now).  Let's say that everyone is even following all the rules all the time with all of this information. I think that's a lot to presume with the number of people involved, but still, let's go with it for the moment.

Today, I'm not considered an enemy of the state.  What about tomorrow, next week, next year, the next presidential administration?  Just having that information on file is a temptation.  It doesn't even have to be intentional. It can be as simple as the IRS being suspicious about the legitimacy of non-profit groups that include the words "patriot" or "progressive" in their names.  (Presuming that the mid-management scapegoats that "they" have decided to blame for that debacle weren't directed by higher authority.)

See what I mean about the potential abuse of power, and you wonder about the apprehension of some about government attempts to limit citizens' 2nd Amendment rights to bear arms?  Again, that's a whole different post.

Bottom line, I am not convinced that the NSA needs to stockpile all this phone information for all mobile phone users.  Do I want them to be able to access it?  Yes, after they have established probable cause.  Am I willing to sacrifice some of my privacy for increased security?  Yes, but this NSA thing goes way over the line.

President Obama says we need a national debate on this, and I agree.  A country needs secrets in order to function, but as one of the authors of my spy novels would say, Intelligence people would classify the phone book.  As Senators Wyden and Udall of the Senate Intelligence Committee put in a letter to NSA director, General Keith Alexander:

"We believe the US government should have broad authorities to investigate terrorism and espionage, and that it is possible to aggressively pursue terrorists without compromising the constitutional rights of ordinary Americans ... Achieving this goal depends on not just secret courts and secret congressional hearings, but on informed public debate as well."

We need to shine some light on the process of under what circumstances and how our information is used.  That is the only way that we can be assured that the power isn't being abuse.


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Wednesday, April 10, 2013 - ,, 4 comments

New War Games

So, Kim Jong Un is threatening to blow up the world. Perhaps, he's not threatening to blow up the whole world, but once that domino is tipped, who knows where it will end up? Didn't this guy ever watch WarGames? Doesn't he know that there is no scenario where anyone wins?

I am a child of the Cold War. Not only that, but as an Army brat, I spent almost all of the first 18 years of my life within a few miles of either a nuclear weapons depot or some other prime target of the Soviet Union. Do you know what that means? It means that I never worried about what it would be like to live in a world after a nuclear war. I knew that I would be vaporized within seconds. Once you come to terms with something like that, it's kind of comforting. You don't have to worry about the aftermath because you won't be around to see it.

The "theory" that kept the world safe during the Cold War was M.A.D., Mutually Assured Destruction. The idea was that only someone who was mad would risk such a thing. The problem with North Korea, or Iran for that matter, is that we don't know their objective.

I was reading one of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia books recently, The Silver Chair. To be more precise, I was listening to it on CD, as read by Jeremy Northam. In any case, there was a reference that the villain wouldn't mind being killed if she knew that the people who killed her would die too. What I'm hearing in the news is that this may be more of Kim Jong Un's perspective. In which case, M.A.D. doesn't really work.

We've been hearing for a couple of weeks now how all this sabre rattling is meaningless. The North Koreans always do it, yada, yada, yada. But, what if we have a young kid full of testosterone, who feels invincible? What if he doesn't know what's best for his country, his people, or most importantly himself? I'm not saying that what's best for him or even his country is what's best for the United States or any other country. But certainly, annihilation isn't best for anyone.

Another question is, would we be willing to do it? Does the United States have the political will? Would we be willing to live with the repercussions? How would China, Russia, or any other nuclear country feel about it? What would be their response(s)?

Guilt remains in the U.S. over the use of nuclear weapons on Japan to end World War II, despite the fact that the U.S. government was not fully aware of all of the long term effects of their use. Moreover, the U.S. government had every reason to expect that a defeat of Japan using conventional weapons would be long and bloody with an extremely high casualty count on both sides, based on the Japanese resistance in previous battles and on other island. This was even after the outcome of the war seemed inevitable.

Did President Truman make the right decision? An argument can be made for both sides, but the bottom line is that he made that hard decision. Does President Obama have the political will to back up the promise of retaliation should North Korea attack us or our allies with nuclear weapons? I don't know, but we better all hope that Kim Jong Un thinks he does. And, Kim better believe that the whole world will support Obama. Otherwise, we may all find out how accurate the simulations in WarGames were.

Is it strange that I find all this talk of nuclear war kind of comforting and familiar? In the more recent Casino Royale  M states how much she misses the Cold War, and I have to agree. Even though you knew that at any moment you could be vaporized, you knew who your enemies were. They were the ones that had the nuclear missiles pointed at you. There were rules, and you could predict the limits of their conduct. Now, the gloves are off, and it's a much more dangerous world.

I have many South Korean friends. Some of them live in the United States, but they all have family in South Korea. Many of them have family in North Korea for that matter, even if they haven't had contact in over 60 years. Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, please send some good vibes or say a prayer. The people there need all the help they can get.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Thursday, January 03, 2013 - ,, 7 comments

2012 Wrap Up

This has become an annual thing for me for the past several years. I answer these same questions. I find it helpful to compare them year to year. They're a benchmark, and they help me to remember.

1. What was the best thing that happened to you personally in 2012? I found myself unable to limit myself to one in many of these categories (or all of them).
  • That I continue to get to work in the church. I feel like such an abysmal failure in so many areas, but the feedback that I continue to get from the congregation and the pastor is very supportive and encouraging. They seem to think I'm doing a great job. You mean I can't buck a 30 year trend all by myself? You mean I can't snap my fingers, and it all be done?
  • Being on the top of the world just over the boarder from Montana in Wyoming. It was like descending into fairy land. Okay, and seeing my family in Minnesota, the reason for the trip. ;)
  • I started a new outreach ministry partnering with local community agencies. It's gotten a lot of new people involved.
2. What was the worst thing that happened to you personally in 2012?
  • I really don't have much that I can legitimately complain about. Lack of instant success in my professional goals really doesn't qualify. I really haven't tried to do anything else. I didn't lose anything. No major health issues. No one in my family died this year, which is really the first in a while.
3. What was the best thing to happen to all of us in 2012?
  • The Olympics. I loved seeing the world come together to watch this spectacle. I hadn't really watched in several cycles, but I was transported this year.
  • Craig Ferguson's still on the air? No strike that. He's really been pissing me off lately. lol
4. What was the worst thing to happen to all of us in 2012?
I couldn't come up with a single "worst," so I'm going to give you my top three. I have a lot of passion on them, so I'll elaborate more in future posts. The condensed version is:
  • The U.S. presidential election. I'll save the explanation for later.
  • Because it's fairly fresh in my mind, I would have to say the school shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school. More later.
  • Hurricane Sandy -- Because of where it hit and the significance of the damage, it is something that could affect the whole world like no other hurricane before it.

5. What was the best gift you received during the ’12 holidays?
  • Red fuzzy Santa socks. When I wear them with my slippers, I feel like my feet are getting a massage. Micro-fiber is really an incredible thing.
6. What was the best gift (most appropriate or best received) you gave during the ’12 holidays?
  • Flameless candles for my mom that have an automatic timer.
7. Do you have any regrets about what you did in 2012?
  • Nothing major. I didn't do enough to regret anything.
8. Do you have any regrets about what you didn’t do in 2012?
  • That I couldn't spend longer in Yellowstone
  • That I haven't made more friends outside of the church
  • That I don't have a meaningful life outside of the church
9. Resolutions for 2013? Now’s the time for them.

I was looking at my resolutions from 2012 ...
1. See a medical health professional some time this year.
Nope. Well, I did get a flu shot, and it was administered by a medical health professional, but I don't think that counts.

2. Spend less time on the computer.
Yes, but I did that by watching more tv. More mental balance while maintaining my sedentary lifestyle. So it's a technical yes, but not good. It's like moving a checkers piece between two squares perpetually without getting anywhere. I think that I'll need to chart a new course for this next year.
    
3. I'd like to average about 3 blog posts per week.
I almost did this through June. After that, I couldn't bear to be on the computer long enough to produce the quality that I wanted. Then, I realized that I was creating content for content's sake, and that's never been what this blog has been about. I know that there's a fine line. You have to post frequently enough to keep regular readers engaged while having content interesting enough to make them want to come back. But, I wasn't keeping myself interested. I wanted to change where I had more of a space to give my honest opinion about what was going on in the world (be it light hearted or more serious) without my primary concern being whether everyone would like me or find me witty. I haven't talked about nearly as many things as I wanted to, but at least now, I feel free to do so. 
4. To get involved in some activity that's not church related.
Nope. I've come close. Now, I'm in a "club" that is tangentially related, not directly. But, this is still an area that I have to work on.

5. I still want to get closer in my relationship with God.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but I continue to make the effort. 

Resolutions for 2012 -
This has been the hardest part of this exercise for me, by far. Concrete, measurable goals. I was talking with someone several months ago about this sort of thing. I realized that I had been working a huge goal for several years that involved prepping for Seminary. Graduating from Seminary, and getting a ministry job.

Once I did that, I needed a recovery period where I actually just lived in the space of my accomplished goals. But that time has passed, I need a real, almost larger than life goal, or I'll find myself in the same rut of running around in circles to the point where I feel trapped in a cage that I made for myself. So, I have been working on both short-term and long term goals, for the past couple of weeks. Here are several that I should be able to accomplish within 2013.

  1.  I still need to see a medical health professional. I actually have a referral from a friend for a dentist. Now, I just have to verify that they're in-network with my insurance and make the appointment.
  2. Be disciplined about my savings plan. I have something slightly more complicated for my own use, but this will do for here.
  3. Make up a new term for "bucket list," something less crass and crude, not based on the euphemism, "kick the bucket." Something that evokes the fun, excitement, and adventure associated with the kinds of things that should be on that kind of list. I mean, buckets are a lot of things, but they're not fun. lol
  4. Find a non-church activity in town to get involved with, like a ballroom or swing dance club or something. It cannot involve sitting in front of a computer or a tv.
  5. Make action plans for my goals, so I have a plan on how to get there instead of just wishing that it'll happen. ;)
There! Those are do-able, and they all will have positive benefits in addition to their obvious or stated purpose.

A New Year. A blank slate. A chance to begin again. Who knows what this year will bring? What will you do to start?

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Sunday, November 11, 2012 - ,, 6 comments

Back to Business

The U.S. election is over. Meanwhile, the world has still been spinning. Life and strife have continued. No, the rest of the world was not put on hold though it did seem that way sometimes looking at the U.S. news media.

Syria has been raging. Greeks have been protesting, and China has been having a leadership transfer celebration, among many other things. Could it be that some of these places held their breath to see who the U.S. president would be? I suppose it's possible, but many of them have been busy fighting to stay alive.

Oh, and I almost forgot. Iran fired on a reconnaissance drone in the Persian Gulf. Naturally, this happened just before the election, but it wasn't reported until after the election.

You know "they" say that foreign policy doesn't really decide elections. Most people only care about domestic issues. I say that if any of these things blow up, foreign policy will become domestic issues. Truth be told, they already are.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Saturday, October 20, 2012 - ,, 5 comments

Election Fatigue

I am so ready for this presidential election to be OVER! I can only imagine what it must be like if you live in a "battleground state." Both sides are lying misrepresenting the facts. Both are attacking their opponent in a fraudulent way.

It is times like these that I wish we had a system more like the one in the United Kingdom where the "official" general election campaign is about four weeks. Here in the United States the next presidential campaign will presumably begin the minute after all of the "hanging chads"  ballots have been counted.

Right now, I have an intense dislike for both of the presidential candidates. I am not quite sure which is the least bad option (to paraphrase Argo). There has been a lot of talk about undecided voters these past few weeks. Many people do not believe that it is possible for an intelligent person not to have made a decision yet. Perhaps, it is more of a question of picking between the lessor of two evils. Who wants to make that kind of decision before they have to? For that, I have some sympathy.

Truth be told, I made my decision. I made it months ago. However, it's not too late for that person to lose my vote. I wouldn't be surprised if I wasn't the only person that feels that way. I just wish it was already over!


P.S. I was going to include an image from the 2nd debate, but I really don't want to look at either of them right now.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Friday, October 12, 2012 - ,,,, 4 comments

Argo

I was 11 years old in November 1979 when the United States embassy was stormed in Iran, and "The Hostages" were held for 444 days. Are you familiar with the ABC news program Nightline? It started as a nightly update about "The Hostage Crisis." I remember it like it was yesterday, and yet, I also remember it like a child.

When I saw the reports this Sept 11th about the breach of the U.S. embassy in Cairo and the storming of the consolate in Benghazi, I had a physical reaction. My first involuntary thought was, "How is this possible? Have we learned nothing?" My reaction surprised me. I mean, protests against the United States and burning the flag have become downright passé. I would have thought that I should be able to watch and analyze the events more dispassionately.

It was also around this time that I saw the trailer for the film Argo for the first time, and I felt the same physical reaction that I had on Sept 11th, only more so. It was then that I understood, and I remembered. The trailer actually did such a good job of tapping into my emotions that I didn't think that I could go and see the movie. In the end, I couldn't stay away. It was well worth my trouble.


Argo is a film "based on actual events" of how six U.S. embassy personnel, who made it out of the embassy during the confusion, were smuggled out of Iran with the invaluable assistance of Canada. So, in that way it's like Titanic. You know the ending. However, it is also a commercial film, not a documentary, but a powerful one.

I have to hand it to Ben Affleck (producer, director, and actor). In some ways, the movie is very formulaic, the one competent operative surrounded by a bunch of idiots. One difference, it really happened (with some editorial liscence). The story telling is very tight, and the tension is constantly building. Then there are the visuals, which feel so real. During the credits, they have comparison photos from history and the recreated shots in the film, impressive.

It was a time when it felt like the world was exploding. As Syria and Turkey trade fire at this very moment (among many other things), it feels that way again. Argo, a relevant and powerful movie for our time.

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Saturday, December 31, 2011 - ,, 11 comments

2011 Wrap Up

For the past several years, I've been doing this same meme to end one year and to begin a new. I like this one because it's not too long, but it's still a good review. Last year, I did it a few weeks late, so it didn't make it on the blog. However, I've found that considering these same questions each year helps me to better understand where I'm coming from and where I'm heading to. So, you get to go with me on my trip down memory lane.

1. What was the best thing that happened to you personally in 2011?
I had a few "bests" this year: a) Getting my Masters; b) Getting a job in "my field;" c) Being reunited with my stuff. It's not that I'm the most materialist person in the world (nor am I the least), but there's something to be said about sleeping in your own bed (or lying on your own couch). There's comfort level there that you can't get elsewhere, no matter how nice the surroundings are.

 2. What was the worst thing that happened to you personally in 2011?
Moving away from West Texas without any reasonable expectation of return. I realize that no one can tell what the future will bring. If someone would have told me this time last year that I'd be living in Idaho, I would have told them that they were crazy. It's just that I think it was the first time that I wasn't more  than ready to leave one place for the next. The only possible exception to that was when we moved from Germany. I really loved it there too. And it's not that I don't love Idaho and love where I'm working. I do love it, but still miss West Texas.
3. What was the best thing to happen to all of us in 2011?
Arab Spring. It's self-determination. It's the French Revolution of the Muslim world. Hopefully, it won't turn as radical as the French Revolution. But the fact that it is organic and not impossed is a wonderful thing.
4. What was the worst thing to happen to all of us in 2011?
The stupid political games in Washington. (And the 24 hour news cycle.) Do they have to make everything a crisis every time? They're idiots. At the moment, I'm not sure of whom I have a lower opinion, Republicans or Democrats. Last year, the lame-duck Democrats where winning in spades (in the low opinion poll), but this year it's pretty much neck and neck.

5. What was the best gift you received during the ’11 holidays?
The gift of peace and tranquility on Christmas Day. I had, what I consider, the best of both worlds. I had many invitations to Christmas festivities, so I felt wanted and appreciated. However, after all of the craziness of the last couple of weeks, I just wanted to go home and put my feet up. I did, and it was wonderful.
I'm an introverted person. That doesn't mean that I don't like people or that I'm shy. What it means is that being with a lot of people for long periods of time drains my energy, and I need recovery time, alone. I think that it was one of my happiest Christmases in recent memory. (Though the one the year before last at my mother's was pretty darn good.)
6. What was the best gift (most appropriate or best received) you gave during the ’11 holidays?
My step-father, Butch, is the winner in this category for the second year in a row. He's a retired mechanic (auto and aviation), and he loves NASCAR. There are some gloves that the pit-crews always wear, and he loves them. He also uses them all the time, so he always needs new ones. Well, I think that because I'm in Idaho, I was able to get some heavier weight ones that 1) will be more durable and 2) will be warmer during the winter. Even though it might not get as cold in Tennessee as it does in Idaho, it gets cold enough. They were a real surprise, and he was very pleased.

7. Do you have any regrets about what you did in 2011?
Not really. As always, not everything went exactly "as planned," but I can't think of a thing that I would have done differently under the same circumstances.
8. Do you have any regrets about what you didn’t do in 2011?
I wish that I could have seen more of the surrounding area around Washington D.C. before I had to leave. I wish that I could have made it up to NJ & NYC, but it really was a question of the limitations of time and space. I did come to be rather fond of Bethesda.

9. Resolutions for 2012? Now’s the time for them. 
I was looking at my resolutions from last year ...

Review Resolutions from 2011 
1. Definitely need to be bold and proactive about pursing employment, both while in school and after. 
I really tried to do this. Perhaps, I could have started looking a littler earlier, but I had to finish my thesis. I certainly didn't put it off until the last minute. Even though I was on the cusp of giving the job hunting a rest for a while, it was the last resume that I submitted that turned out to be the one.

2. Developing the closer relationship with God.
This is always a work in progress. As strange as it sounds, I both feel closer to God, and yet it seems like the same distance. What it doesn't feel is intimately close, like a best friend. I've been there before, and I want to get there again.

 3. Don’t procrastinate.  Figure out the difference between being efficient with my work and procrastinating. I learned with some pretty intense assignments that I can do good work when I give myself adequate time.  It doesn’t look like I’m going to be overloaded with work (except possibly towards the end of the semester).  If I’m smart about it, I should be able to do good work and avoid crisis.

It worked out pretty well, as far as the school load is concerned. That was until I realized that I had to turn in all my papers and take all my finals a week early. (And professors were adjusting the schedules.) However, having that final week to relax and my mom and step-dad to some special places around D.C. before graduation was nice.
 
I, also, think that I've improved with this over-all, but I admit that I'm still a down to the wire type girl. There's that fine line between pacing oneself and poor time management. I'm still working that out. ;)

Resolutions for 2012 -
Ah, this is the hard part. This past year one of the stars on my Blog Roll, Stacy @ The Cat's Meow, did an amazing thing. She made a detailed and ambitious list of goals. If she didn't achieve all of them, she made quite a few. She has inspired me not to be so vague.
  1. See a medical health professional some time this year. Let's just say that I haven't been to see anyone, besides the pharmacy dept at Wallgreens to have a flu shot, in some years. Maybe it's time.
  2. Spend less time on the computer. oooOOOooo ... this might be a tough one. But I've already stopped doing some online stuff, and that's helped. It'll give me more time to do things in the real world (and get to bed a little earlier). The problem is that it's part of my routine (and my desk chair is very comfortable). What I don't mean is that I'll stop blogging. This is an important creative and social outlet for me.
     
  3. Speaking of blogging. I'd like to average about 3 posts per week. There's still no "obligation." (See the badge in my sidebar.) However, I like there to be something regular. I don't feel the need to do it daily, but one thing that the NaBloPoMo taught me was that it doesn't have to be that hard.
  4. To get involved in some activity that's not church related. I have loved being immersed in everything at the church. I love the people. I love the things that we do, but I can't make "real" friendships there. I can't talk to them about my worries and concerns. I certainly can't talk about anyone who might be annoying me. I'm supposed to be there for them, but the way things stand now, I really don't have any friends. I need to expand my horizons.
  5. I still want to get closer in my relationship with God. Yes, this one's still on the vague side. It's also impossible to perfect, but it's a part of life's journey. I have a plan that's more specific, but that's gonna be my little secret. ;)
Gosh, the goals are always the hardest part, but in the end, they're the most rewarding ... as long as I actually do something to accomplish them.

A New Year. A blank slate. A chance to begin again. Who knows what this year will bring? What will you do to start?

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Saturday, November 19, 2011 - ,,, 2 comments

Two Things That Don't Go Together

Current events in Syria and anticipated theme park rides. But there it was on my screen.



I was reading a story in the LA times about the increased pressure the Arab world and specifically the Turkish government was putting on Syria. Then, there it was. I could hardly believe my eyes. There was an ad about the Top Thirteen Theme Park Rides for 2013.

Really? I guess everyone needs a little escapism to get a rest from the violence and mayhem. Though I guess their oxymoronic plan worked, I did click on it. I suppose, there's no accounting for taste. ;)

Earthquest Adventures, Houston, Texas
Now, I've added insult to injury by bringing the Cookie Monster and Sesame Street into it. My apologies to them both.

For the record, I couldn't be more pleased about how the Arab League has taken the lead in the diplomatic measures with Syria. (Though, naturally, they took a 1/2 a step back since the news article was written.) Sooner would have been better, of course, but you can say that regarding just about anything. A step in the right direction, at least. That is if democracy in the Middle East is "right."

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