10.16.2009

Free, Free! Free is Good



Do you love to read? Do you love to read things for F, R, double ee? Then you should love reading my blog. I don't charge a cent for the torture. I know you are probably thinking: "Pay to read her blog? Are ya kiddin' me. Ms. Fish should pay ME to read her blog."

Well, yes, I probably should. You deserve it after all.

But let's change the subject. Not completely change the subject. Just the subject about me having to bribe people to read this blog. Let's get back to reading things for free. Check out this website, tipped off to me by my good friend, Lori. The website has two great things about it. Free, free as a bird, classic books available to read online. Second great thing: it has a real APPLE-ish look and feel to the site. This maketh me likey!

Shine on! Read on!

10.13.2009

A Blog for Sean

So, aren't three blogs better than two? I guess so...because I just started a third blog! This one is called "On the Lord's Errand." It is really about Sean: to post letters, photos and updates from his mission. You can check it out here, and become a follower.



I am so proud of Sean and his willingness to put college and girls on hold and act on his desire to bring the world the truth. He just went to the doctor today and has bronchitis and sinusitis. He doesn't feel well, yet he presses on. How I love him.

I miss him dearly...like a musician would miss a melody. I mean REALLY miss him!! I just want to pick up the phone and hear his voice. I want to make him some chicken noodle soup and breadsticks and nurse him back to health. I want to laugh at his quirky antics and marvel at his philosophical musings about mixing water and milk in the same glass.

For now, his letters are like getting an icy cold drink of water after a hot, long fast. They quench my Sean thirst and sustain me for another week.

10.09.2009

Nobel Peace Prize - The Obempire Smokescreen



The carefully made and deliberate choices of the Nobel Peace Prize committee point to a clear amBUSH. Consider these recipients: Jimmy Carter in 2002, Al Gore in 2007 and Obama 2009: US politicians all battened around the Bush years. It is as if the Bush men didn't even exist. Hmmm....doesn't that have a musty odor that stinks a little like political agenda?

The connections may have more to do with security than peace and the particular worldview of the Peace Prize Committee itself (which I'm not going to expound on here).

Ok...but besides all that political stuff, let's talk about another issue. That of being rewarded for a plan and not an act. The nomination deadline for the award was Feb 1: a mere TWO weeks after the inauguration of Pres. Obama. So the award is not based on anything Obama has actually done. The Committee openly acknowledges this, endorsing the decision by rewarding Obama's "vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons." (What was I just saying about security??)

As Winnie-the-Pooh so cutely says, "Oh bother." I suppose it is awfully old fashioned of me to think Awards should REward actual accomplishments, credible actions, or a lifetime body of work representing a deep commitment and loyalty to the work of peace.  Think about the meaning of the word RE-ward. You DO something and are paid first via an internal satisfaction from doing the very act, and then you are RE-warded, or given again a gift of thanks, sometimes through a more publicized award. Re-warded....awarded a second time. Implies that there must be something great in the first place.

To his credit, President Obama has a sense of the hastiness for this honor. Seeking to quell some of the naysayers and justify the decision, Obama stated in a recent press conference: "I know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honour specific achievements."

He continued, "It's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st Century."

"[This award may] give momentum to a set of causes." What a great phrase! I really hope that bears true. Mostly, it seems that hope is often puffed up in the emotional mind and seems grander and greater than reality, and that faith breeds rose-colored ideals in the power of politicians to solve the world's problems.

At the very core of it, this award simply supports the notion that power lies in smooth and titillating words. The ability to communicate the dream of building a bridge to the future and designing a roadmap to get there is as important as the drive itself. Vision is as important as actions.

If this is the case, Miss America and other beauty pageant contestants should have it made in the shade. (Who knows? Maybe Miss Teen North Carolina and her vision of MAPS FOR ALL is really on to something).



10.07.2009

They Came from Virginia




















It was so great to have my brother, Jordan and his girlfriend Janna, here from Virginia. We swam, played RockBand and ate homemade sweet pulled pork burritos topped off with peaches and homemade vanilla bean ice cream. I love my family. Thanks for coming Jordan, Janna, Lucy, Anna, Immie and Oliver!

On a side note: Considering recent events at our house, it was fun when Jordan reminded us all he was Homecoming King of Madison High. So we got a photo of the King and Queen (upper left).

And one night while they were here, Grandma overheard this conversations between my nieces:
Immie (age 5): I don't like princess stuff.
Lucy: (age 5): Well...you don't like Janessa then, because she is a REAL LIVE princess.
Immie: I like Janessa. I just don't like Disney princesses.

The Queen



2 weeks ago, Hurricane High held a super big pageant. I know it was super big, as opposed to just big, because my daughter and two of her friends were in charge of the whole thing. And can I just say, there is a lot of behind the scenes work that goes into pulling off a smooth pageant. Make the banners, decorate, type up ballots, write the script, get snacks for the judges, order dinner for the judges, make the contestant numbers, paint the poster (see above) and on and on. And despite not getting any sleep the night before (see above photo), the pageant went off beautifully and without a hitch.

19 girls competed for the title of Homecoming Queen --19 beautiful, motivated, accomplished, talented girls. I didn't envy the judges' job. 20% of the score was from popular vote from the high school studentbody. The rest was on talent, interview and introduction.

It was an absolute shock and fun, fun surprise to hear the announcement of the 2009 Hurricane High Homecoming Queen: Janessa Fisher. And I didn't even bring my camera. My name is Ms. Mud!

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