Troublesome news

I usually follow the news daily on www.cnn.com, and although there isn't a whole lot of good news there, nothing usually worries me at all. However, there have been a couple of things in the news lately that have me concerned about where the future is heading. Last week it was reported that Syria had some involvement in the assassination of a Lebanese leader. The international world is not happy about that. I didn't really think much of that until I read something yesterday that really has me nervous - the Iranian leader stating that Israel should be "wiped off the map." Naturally, there seems to be an international outrage about this.

Things are already unstable in the Middle East, and I am afraid that things like this are going to keep happening and we are going to get further involved. This is already a "holy war" to some of the fundamentalist Muslims, and I think that we are biting at the bait by responding to their comments. I have a feeling that it is going to be a long time before we pull out of the Middle East, and if Syria and Iran get involved, I fear that things are going to get bloody.

I normally don't state my opinions on stuff like this because I usually don't have much of an opinion. I don't want my next statement to be taken the wrong way, I do not agree with the statements made by the Iranian leader at all, but it's purely rhetorical. That being said, would things in the Middle East be resolved if Israel were "relocated"? I understand that this is holy land for both Muslims and the Jewish. Then again, I wonder if the fighting there would just continue even if Israel weren't there. It seems as though there is fighting amongst the different sects of Islam anyway.

I know that Israel will never be "moved" and I don't think that it should. I understand why the nation was created by the United Nations and the significance of the land to the Jewish people. If we let the terrorists have their way this time, then they'll just keep pushing the limits. But I am afraid of things that will continue to unfold in the future, and I hate to see more U.S. soldiers die there.

I want a Charger!

I want a new car. There's nothing wrong with the one that we have now, it's just...boring. I had a Hyundai Tiburon in Wisconsin, and I loved that car. It was so much fun to drive, and I was very proud of it. I want that again. There is a new car on the market that has caught the eye of both Matt and I, and I am going to try to talk him into trading in the Neon for it when he gets home. That car is the new Dodge Charger. They are pretty sweet looking and they've got some pep, something that the Neon is really lacking.

The hard part will be talking him into it, but I can be pretty good at pleading my case ;)

Creative streaks

Once in a while I get in really creative streaks. Usually it involves my website or something like that. I'm not sure why or how it happens, but I just know when they hit. I have a feeling another one is brewing, because I've had some ideas popping in my head over the last couple of days. We'll see...

I got my grades from my last block of classes, and I got two A's and a B in Economics. I'm not sure how I pulled out a B, because I really slacked through the class and had no interest in the subject matter at all. I guess I shouldn't complain. This block of classes is much better. I am actually enjoying them - Algebra, World Cultures and Management of Information Systems. I really like math, and sometimes I wonder if I should pursue a career involving math. However, I think if I did that, I would get really frustrated, because when numbers don't add up, I tend to get angry pretty fast. I could never be an accountant lol.

New tattoo!!!

Well, I went out and did it today. Tattoo #4 is official! I am quite pleased with the results. I got the old Milwaukee Brewers logo with the number 19 in the middle, in honor of my childhood hero, Robin Yount. I think it's the coolest one I've gotten yet. It's about three inches by three inches on the outside of my left calf. I feel cool now! And I am also now the most die-hard Brewers fan I know :P

I went to TNT Tattoo, and Dave was my artist for the day. This was the first tattoo that was not done at Steve's Tattoo in Madison. I always really liked that place, they know customer service. But I can't complain about this place, either. There just seems to be something inherently cool about tattoo artists, they are very real and always seem to be genuinely interested in your design and making sure that they get it right. As far as pain goes, this one was moderate, but still not nearly as bad as my first one on the small of my back. However, it ranks #2 of all my tattoos on the pain scale. It hurt a lot more than I thought it would. Maybe it's because I haven't had one done in a few years. It took Dave just over an hour to do.

I'll be posting a picture of it as soon as it is not covered in blood, as it is at the moment.

Aliens

Why is it that our depiction of aliens never includes clothes? I have never seen an artist's rendition of what aliens might look like that includes clothing. Could this be a reflection of our own opinions of humans? Are aliens supposed to be so intellectually advanced that they no longer have "shame" and therefore don't need clothes? Or is clothing just something that we assume to be human-exclusive? No other creatures on Earth have the need to clothe themselves. Think about it, clothing has become such a part of our species that our evolution has been altered by it. Once upon a time, I'm sure that we were a much more furry species, but over time we have invented clothing so that we don't really need the fur anymore. Wow, I'm so deep......LOL

200th post!

This is my 200th post since I started posting messages on my site. Hooray!

Anyway, I just wanted to follow up my previous post. Apparently, I caused a bit of concern within my family. I just want you all to know that I'm doing very well, surprisingly well. My intent was to show that I have come a long way from where I once was. I'm happy. I wasn't always happy but I am now, and have been since I met Matt. He filled a hole that I had inside of me, one that I had been trying to fill for a long time.

Life is good!

Inner strength

There was once a time when I was afraid to be alone. I don't mean afraid to be without someone physically around for a short period of time, but instead really alone for long periods of time. The truth is, I couldn't trust myself then. I was mentally unstable and just kind of generally messed up. I was naturally a little apprehensive about Matt being gone for so long. I was afraid that I might lapse into old habits, but I am pleasantly surprised with how well I've been handling the whole thing thus far. I'm sure my medication plays a part in it, but I also have to think that I've grown a lot personally in the last year. I am more comfortable with who I am than I ever have been. I am truly happy. I also know that I am never alone - even if you're all thousands of miles away, I've still got Matt, my family and Tony out there. I know that if I ever need you, you're no more than a phone call away. :)

Rainbows

There's just something about rainbows that makes me smile. Every time I see one, I can't help but smile. Fortunately in Hawaii, there are lots of them. They are not nearly as rare as they were in Wisconsin. It's kind of like a neat little surprise that Mother Nature has put there just to make me smile. I have taken many pictures of them, too, but I'm starting to find that one picture of a rainbow looks just like another picture of one, only in a different spot. Anyway, I just thought I'd share that random bit of information with you!

I'm so sick of bad news

I don't watch the news on TV very often, but I do check CNN.com once or twice a day. All I ever see anymore is bad news - this or that hurricane is killing x number of people; a boat overturns and kills x number of people; x number of people were killed in the war in -insert country-. I would like to see a piece of good news once in a while. The world seems to be a pretty glum and depressing place these days, at least that's what you'd think if you follow the news. I know this is the way it has almost always been, but the reporters seem to be focusing on the negative more and more these days. I guess that's what sells.

Yay Brewers!

Well, the Brewers' season is officially over. For them, it was an outstanding season. They finished 81-81, the best season I can remember in a long time. I'm really excited for future seasons. They have a lot of young talent that could carry them into the post-season in the not so distant future. Maybe next spring I won't be saying "there's always next year" and will instead be saying "this is our year!" I haven't been able to honestly say that since I was in high school. That is, of course, as long as they don't trade all of their promising young prospects, which they have been known to do.

Anyway, for anyone out there who cares, go Brewers! Oh, and go Badgers, too, who are now 5-0 and finally getting some national respect! :)

Two weeks down

Matt's been on deployment for two weeks now, and it really has gone quickly so far. I'm pleasantly surprised. I can't really tell you what I've been doing to pass the time other than EQ, watching TV (I have my routine, Seventh Heaven and X-Play along with a National Geographic show or two) and an occasional homework assingment. I guess it doesn't really matter, though, as long as the time is moving.

Matt was recently in Japan, and I did get to talk to him on the phone a couple of times. It was nice to hear his voice, and I feel lucky that I got to talk to him. I have decided not to continue working with Best Buy. It's too bad it didn't work out because I was looking forward to it. The timing just didn't work. That's ok, though, because I haven't been too terribly bored thus far. :)