Blogaversery!!!!!!!

One year ago down to the minute this was posted. Huh, it really doesn't seem like it was that long ago that I talked about music in the church. (that was back on my old blog with the really hard to type URL) A lot has changed about my blog, along with me, but I'm just happy that I made it a whole year!

I am also approaching my 100th blog post which will be another rather large accomplishment for me, meaning that in one year, I will have posted a few notes short of once every three and a half days. And for me being such a slacker sometimes, that is quite a feat. Woot!

The Rest of that Day...

So after the fact, I will tell you how the rest of that 18 below day went.

I headed back to the dorm to get more snacks, but finding no-one there, I assumed the worst and that they had evacuated the building due to the sprinkler system. So I sat in the lobby for another couple of hours watching still further episodes of cheesy TV shows online. I eventually got tired of this and went back to the dorm where I found people!

The water was finally back on so I could take a shower. But the amazing day did not end there.

That night, I was supposed to have practice with the Cheer squad. It was on the printed out schedule that we had. So I ventured out (By the way, my phone was dead, my car was dead, and it was still 18 below outside) on a 8 minute walk across campus to the gym. I waited for 10 minutes and no one came. So I figured that I must be at the wrong building and had read the schedule wrong. So I walked 8 minutes across campus to get to the Rec center, where the lady at the desk said "no team." So I figured everyone was just late and walked 8 minutes back to the gym. No team. So I decided to check the Rec Center again for myself. (there is true dedication combined with the stupidity of a jock) No team. So I decided that I would go to the gym one more time to check and then quit. So I did and found no team. And I ran back to the dorm and skyped one of the coaches (who only comes every other time and this was a night at home for her) who called one of my teammates and found out that no one had showed up for practice because they didn't know we had one. So I crashed.

My Day: 10:00AM - 12:00 PM

So I decided I should continue this. It could be interesting.

I continue to sit here in the lobby as it approaches noon and I have just finished watching Bush's Farewell speech (no comment) and two episodes of "Legend of the Seeker" TV show (I am so commenting on that later positive and negative). I am considering going back to the dorm to find out if they actually have evacuated it, or if I am at least able to get in to make soup for lunch. But then I just remembered that I did not wash my dishes last night and the water is still shut off, so I would have to make due with fruit, granola bars and poptarts, or maybe oatmeal to go or snack crackers. Sheesh. Lazy me ruined lunch. Oh well.

I have the lobby to myself at the moment. *yawn* I don't know if it is worth going back to the dorms or not. I might just stay here and sleep. They did wake me up rather early this morning.

I want to shower!

My Day so Far 9:00 - 10:00

I write from a remote location. I am a refugee from a cruel deprivations and fleeing the frigid world of no showers, toilets, and possibly no fire sprinkler system. Yes. It is a hard world.

Alright, so at 9:00 AM, one of the RA's knocks on my door, waking me up and letting me know that the pipes have burst. They had to turn off the water, meaning there will be no showers or toilets. They were not sure which pipe it was yet, but if it ran to the fire sprinkler system, we would have to follow protocol and evacuate the building.

Well, needless to say, as soon as I heard no bathrooms, I started making an exit plan, bundling up and making my way through a foot and a half of snow, huddled against the evil 18 degree below zero weather and the diabolical -25 wind chill factor. But I won. I survived the exposure and made it to the dining hall. So I sit in the lobby with my drinks and food and laugh at those who chose to stay behind. At least I have working toilets. :-)

Middle East and Me

I got a response to my appeal, and Q suggested that I explain what I think on what's happening in the Middle East. Iraq was specifically mentioned, but I think I shall encompass Israel and Gaza too.

At the beginning, I thought that going into Iraq was a good idea, along with half of America. Really, what else were we supposed to do? We had been told that Iraq had WMD's and was planning on using them in war. Saddam himself let everybody think so, so logically, he was ok with whatever consequences may have come from his actions. Status Report: Intelligence says they have nukes. Saddam says he has nukes. Result: Bush (like any rational human being at this point) thinks they have nukes and responds accordingly.

If Bush had sat there and done nothing, and Iraq did have weapons, well guess who was in huge trouble with everybody when a couple million people get blown up. So we went into Iraq.

Now Bush gets all this flack because we went in and didn't find any WMD's. Bush lied to us they say. Well, Bush was lied to and he is really just the mouth that relayed it to us. What about the Intelligence agents who gave faulty reports to Bush? Was the president (who is stuck behind a desk reading papers) expected to know more about what went on over there than the people whose job it was to find out this information? Simple answer: NO.

Now in regards to what happened afterwards:

Mistakes which I partially blame Bush for, and thought he could have handled better came next. We stayed. I don't say that we should have pulled out right away, but we should have taken steps to build a stable government and pull out as soon as possible before the Dems started complaining about their pet projects being undefunded because of the war budget. I realize that this could take a large amount of time, but really when the country reaches the stability level in which we found it, that is where we needed to wash our hands and say "Enough. We fixed one of your problems and removed a progress roadblock, now its your job to move past where you were." I know it sounds harsh, but we spent millions upon millions and thousands of lives doing what Iraqis should have been doing themselves. We were building them roads and schools that our country needs.

So at this point I think the solution is to pull out. Now.

George Washington once said: "The great rule of conduct for us, in regards to foreign nations, is , in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connecion as possible. ~ George Washington 1796

I'd like to also explain a little bit of what I think about Israel and Gaza. At this point I do not think we should be involved other than in convincing the stupid UN that Israel and Gaza should be left to fight it out. The whole situation is ridiculous. Israel is getting bashed across the board because it is defending its people by fighting back. Israel gave Gaza to Hamas in 2005. Since then, over 6,300 missiles and mortars have come out of Gaza, and targeted Israeli civilians. This past Christmas eve alone there were 80. And Israel has waited it out without doing anything. Mostly because of international pressure not to harm the "civilians" living in Gaza. Really? Seriously? How many civilians does Gaza have to kill before Israel can retaliate and protect its own? Is the government of Israel responsible first to Gaza's civilians or to its own people? Hamas targets civilians. Israel only wants to target Hamas. GO FOR IT ISRAEL!!!!!!

By the way, if I left anything unclear or if you have any, feel free to ask any questions you might have. Remember, be respectful, and don't call me close minded because I have disagreed with your point of view.

Ahem.....

Well, since profundity is not easy to spawn in this environment, I shall attempt at factual. Are there any political or social topics which someone would like to read a rant on? I have a rather long discourse on the electoral college already written, which I may post, but I was hoping for something fresh perhaps. Laws people wonder about, government processes, gossip, etc....

Also, I may swithc the wordpress soon so that I can password protect posts. Just a thought.