"As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more."


No more perfect words could have been spoken, Mr. President.

Current Mood: thankful

Well, I have just finished another semester. That makes 11 semesters down, just 3 more to go. I can however, finally start taking it easy. I have met all my actual requirements for my major and just need to get enough credit hours to graduate, which is now scheduled to be in May 2010. I am definitely feeling a bit burned out, but being that I have about a month and a half until the next semester starts will give me enough of a break that I will once again look forward to classes.

Looking back on this past year, I am feeling a bit philosophical at the moment. It has been a very rough year, with many good things as well as lots of stresses, particularly as the year comes to a close. But I think many sides of my life are starting to calm a bit. This coming year will see the changes that have been coming start to truly manifest in some amazing ways. I am resisting the urge to say that "this or that will definitely happen". The truth is that no one knows what these changes mean or how they will happen. I just know that change IS coming. And it isn't just about the election, either. I believe that is just one of the realms in which the change is effecting. Big things are shifting, bigger than just one country or even one man. The incoming administration is just one aspect of it, not its entirety.

2008 has been the storm tossing a ship, making everyone wonder if they would even survive the tumult. I firmly believe that the coming year will find the storm cleared, the ship settled onto calmer waters and the passengers looking upon a new and wondrous landscape. Will it happen early in the year? I don't know. Somehow I think we are still in the storm and it may get worse before it gets better. But my sense is that, when it does end, it will be a sudden shift, making people wonder as they suddenly realize that the boat is no longer tossing.

They will mourn, as they had gotten used to the tossing and turning and it will take some adjustment to re-find your balance. But, it will be so worth it when we all look around and see the new horizon.

Blessed Sailing!

Current Mood: optimistic

The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed. Time to account for myself.



( Let me see ... )

This morning everyone is talking about how Dr. King's dream is now fulfilled because an African-American is in office. But we must remember that he did not want us to elect someone just because he was black. Dr. King wanted us to elect someone not for the color of his skin but for the content of his character.

After watching Obama's convention, as well as being in the crowd when Bill Clinton and then Obama himself came to Roanoke, I was astounded at how the crowds were a true mix of all walks of life ... old/young, black/white/brown, women/men, rich/poor/middle class, whatever ... I saw a man who transcended racial, religious, economic and gender divides. This played out in rallies all across the country. Barack Obama spoke as an American to his fellow Americans and that is why his is now to be the 44th president for the United States of America.

Congratulations Dr. King ... your dream truly HAS come true.

Current Mood: optimistic

Holy cow!
I woke up this morning a found that I had somehow turned into a 40-yr old.
How the h*ll did that happen???

But the truth is that I am more fascinated than anything. My 20s were about feeling out of place and insecure. My 30s was about finding my strength and being comfortable in my own skin. I mean, if you think about it, my 30s were awesome! I adopted my son after trying for 9 yrs to have a child. I went back to school and discovered not only an intense passion for dead languages but a fairly high aptitude for it as well. I started a grove and have met and taught some amazing people, with many of them sticking around for the long haul.

I enter my 40s surrounded by wonderful friends and family and guided by a profound devotion to something greater than myself. I am convinved that a whole new chapter of my life is unfolding before me. I am in a unique position to examine my life and to bring all the seperate threads together creating a beautiful tapestry. I know that every moment of your life brings this, but it is a little different when you find yourself standing directly over the cliff. I am the Fool card made tangible. What I like about that card is that, in almost all the versions I have seen, the Fool has his head held up looking toward the horizon. It is a true sign of faith that he does not look to where he is placing his feet. The next step may be over a precipice, but he is not concerned. He is too busy looking towards the boundless realms of possibility.

So that is what I am doing. Over the next week, over the rest of my life, I will keep my head up and my eyes on the distant horizon. I may stumble on occasion, but I know that with the support and love I have in my life, I will have no problem picking myself up and continuing to walk.

Onward ... towards the rising sun.

Current Mood: calm

What does it say about this entire election process when in the VP debate, a candidate only has to appear coherent in order to score points?

That is what we are faced with. The bar has been set so low for this poor woman who got way too far in over her head. If she just manages to stand there and not cry, she will exceed all expectations.

Don't get me wrong here. I do feel sorry for the woman. She was thrown into the middle of the ocean only to find that she barely knew how to dog-paddle. Her biggest mistake to date was simply answering "yes" to the VP question. Now she has the world staring at her as if she is a huge joke. But then, anyone would seem a joke if they tried doing something like building a space station when they had a PhD in classics ... they may be super smart, but not for the job at hand.

Be that as it may. She did indeed say "yes". She knew what she was capable of and what she wasn't. She said yes, knowing that her personal life and private issues (like a pregnant teen daughter) would immediately become fodder for every journalist, pundit and blogger in the known universe. She chose to open herself up to this madhouse. No one forced this on her.

I do feel sorry for her.

But I still don't want her or her running mate anywhere near the White House.

Current Mood: pensive

So ... McCain thinks that since the economy is in the tank, he should delay the debates and suspend campaigning in order help solve the current crisis. This from the man who fully admitted that he didn't know as much as he should about the economy. Oh really ... just how do you think your presence is going to help???

I guess a president should only be required to handle one thing at a time. Oh, but then he has Palin to help him. He can walk while she chews gum. Hey ... if she's too busy chewing gum, then she won't be able to answer any real questions from reporters or those pesky voters.

Please, please PLEASE let this nightmare soon be over!!!



"If you are not outraged, you are not paying attention!"

Current Mood: bitchy

News article from yesterday ...

Gitmo detainees subject to detention even if acquitted: Pentagon

And this one from today ...

Bush: China must end detentions, ensure freedoms

Does anyone else see the absolute hypocrisy in this???
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! How can we have any moral authority as a nation with a government who thinks this all makes sense? How dare we preach to others when we have a mountain of dirty laundry ourselves!

167 days and counting until we reach the end of this error!

Current Mood: nauseated

I cannot say how much I truly blessed I felt sitting around surrounded by my family this weekend. There was so much love pouring forth from every direction that I felt so incredibly lifted up. We are a truly blessed family and I cannot imagine not being apart of it. Thank you all for making this such a special and spiritual event. And, for those who could not make it, please know that your presence was missed greatly. And particularly to A & M, as well as our own A, know that my heart is with you all during your grief.

Our furry family members have the greatest capacity to teach us the meaning of unconditional love. Know that you are all so blessed to have learned it so well.

Current Mood: melancholy

The gods do have a sense of humor. Really. I can hear them cackling right now. How else do you explain that, just when you are about to host a major event, with over a dozen guests coming in from out of town (and you know who you are) with all the inherent stresses that have been so far well-managed, the sewage line clogs up so badly that it decides that the best alternative route would be to dump its entire contents onto the bathroom floor ... repeatedly.

Sigh!!!

But, just as they love reasons to laugh, the gods truly are encouraging us to laugh at ourselves and reminding us that everything does work out in the end, so long as we have faith and look for wisdom.

With two days until guests start arriving, the bathroom is once again functioning (albeit with no vinyl on the floor), towels are now clean, friends are coming over to help get the house in shape and the insurance money will ensure that we can make much needed repairs and upgrades to the bathroom.

All in all, I think we came out a little bit ahead on this one.

Current Mood: relieved

I just got asked by the chair of the English department here to tutor her 10 yr old in Latin. Not only am I honored that my professor recommended me, but I am so excited about it that I can hardly see straight! And, having met the said tutoree, I know that it is going to be an incredible amount of fun. He is very bright and engaging and he is excited himself to be learning it. I am sure that the hardest part of this is going to be finding ways to continually challenge him.

I am hippy excited!!!

Current Mood: excited

David and I had a date night last weekend. Just the standard dinner and a movie, but it was very much fun. And, thanks to L, we didn't have to tote the boy :)

For anyone who hasn't seen it, you must go see Get Smart! Especially if you loved the originial. It has to be one of the best movie from TV series adaptations ever done. They paid great homage to the original, but it didn't go too campy either. It was very smartly done (no pun intended) and Steve Carell was fabulous. And, most importantly, it was HYSTERICAL! We were actually gaffawing in the theatre.

I want a shoe phone!!!

Current Mood: cheerful

For some reason I found this highly amusing ...

James Dobson accuses Obama of 'distorting' the bible


I am continually amazed at his ability to say things with a straight face. The hypocrisy is just mind-boggling.

But I will give this to Obama ... if you can piss off Dobson, you must be doing something right.

Current Mood: amused

George Carlin has left this world on Sunday at the grand age of 71. He was a true maverick, willing to say everything that society was afraid to. He made us laugh at ourselves and our own hypocrisy.

George, you have been my favorite comedian and social commentator for my entire life and the world is a sadder place with your absence.

May you experience all the joy and laughter in your next life that you gave to us in this one.

Current Mood: sad

For those who understand ...

I want to thank everyone (seen and unseen) for a wonderful, intense and amazing journey.

I'm all buzzy now :)

Current Mood: energetic

fullones ululamque
cano non arma virumque

I was in a great lecture today on Pompeian graffiti. You know you are a hard-core geek when you find the above quote hysterical.

for those who don't know Latin, here is the translation ...

I sing of fullers and an owl
not of arms and a man.

Current Mood: cheerful

Imagine me doing the happy dance!

I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm done!

One more down ... three semesters to go!!!

Current Mood: relieved

I am finally ... officially ... on thanksgiving break!
Now I can just relax and enjoy for a whole week. Well, unless you count that I still have to

1. Read three books: the Satyrican, Cicero's de Oratore and one on Vietnam.
2. Prep a speech I have to give in my latin class
2a. figure out a topic for said speech :P
3. Prep a talk on illegal immigration from my dad's pics for World Geo
4. Translate 150 lines of Homer's Odyssey
5. Choose and translate another 75 lines for my final in Greek
6. clean my house
7. pack for Ocean City
8. plan a ritual with LO for Saturday

Gee ... I sure am glad I can relax!!!

Current Mood: cranky

There is something inherently satisfying sitting here listening to my son sound out his alphabet letters so he can write them out all by himself.

To say I am tickled by this is an understatement in the extreme.

:o)

Current Mood: peaceful

It appears that allergy season is now fully underway ... and I can't breathe.

:P

Current Mood: grumpy