August 28, 2006
HEALTH CARE
It's usually pretty easy to gripe about the military health care system, so I wanted to write and say that I had the most
wonderful visit this morning. My doctor was so helpful and scheduled me for all sorts of follow-ups and treatments for various things. The whole thing -- from appointment to lab work to pharmacy -- took one hour. It was amazing. Yay for the people here at our hospital!
And I've lost ten pounds since I moved here too!
Posted by: Sarah at
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WHAT? You lost 10 lbs? I am worrying about gaining weight when I go back to the States with all my catch-up eating of IHOP, Cold Stone Creamery, Taco Bell (without having to convince the bf that he NEEDS TB too), El Pollo Loco, etc. This gives me some hope ;-)
Posted by: CaliValleyGirl at August 28, 2006 08:02 AM (ugBbc)
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Yeah, well I should have said that I lost five pounds, plus the five pounds I gained during our leave!
Posted by: Sarah at August 28, 2006 08:10 AM (YL5y0)
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Yay, Sarah! Good for you!
You know, I was lost in thought the other day about how it would be to pay co-payments again every time I went to the doctor (or not have any health insurance at all). Not a pleasant thought. Even though I want to scream at the stupid front-desk people sometimes, I think we have pretty good medical benefits. And I don't have to have ANY money in my wallet to see the doctor, get bloodwork, or to get three months worth of medication. Gotta love it.
Posted by: Erin at August 28, 2006 01:34 PM (023Of)
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Wow! Good for you! I didn't have the same luck when we were there - I sat in the pharmacy alone for two hours. However, now that we are away from a post and using the "civilian" doctors and hospitals, I'm still running into problems. Maybe I just have bad luck with doctors/healthcare in general!
Posted by: Jen D at August 29, 2006 11:58 AM (D4EDG)
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August 27, 2006
BOOK QUOTES
Angie tagged me to do one of those blog things, so here goes.
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your Blog (Please include the book and author) along with these instructions.
5. DonÂ’t you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.
6. Tag five people.
Well, the nearest book is the husband's textbook, Contemporary Strategy Analysis. Snooze, but here goes:
"The ability to share costs across different segments has been a major factor in automobiles where very few specialist manufacturers survive and most of the world's main car makers offer a full range of vehicles allowing them to share costs through common platforms and components. The analysis of a company's optimal segment range is similar to the analysis of diversification versus specialization. We shall return to this issue in Chapter 15."
Shoot me before I have to read any more. Thank heavens the husband understands this crap. The closest fun book is something on the shelves. The first one on the second shelf is probably more interesting to my blog readers: Culture Shock Germany.
"Attendance at state schools is free, as are some (though not all) teaching materials and resources, such as books. Compared to many other present day state systems, German education offers quality instruction and commendable results. At least as important when considering your child's education is that sending your children to a German state school is also one of the best ways to integrate them into German society."
That wasn't that fun either, was it? Let's try one last book, the first one on the fifth shelf, Another Roadside Attraction.
"[The cockroach] is the most primitive of winged insects and its fossils (found in the rocks of Upper Carboniferous) are the earliest known. No other creature has lived on this Eearth as long as the roach. That's rather an impressive record for the repulsive little geek."
That'll do nicely.
Posted by: Sarah at
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Oh, come on! You can understand that. An auto manufacturer, let's say General Motors, shares costs for all sorts of things across the board. New engine technology research, for example, would be recouped by new auto sales for the next model year it appears through Buick, Pontiac, GMC, and all the others. Commonly used parts can be standardized, using the same sorts of alternators, brake pads, fuel pumps, transmissions, and whatnot. You make a bunch of parts and they'll fit a whole range of vehicles made by the different divisions. That way you can spend less money on the more specialized parts for the more customized vehicles. Determining the optmimum balance between ANSI standard cars that all use the same parts verses more specialized vehicles that can't use the same parts makes for lots of pretty lines on lots of graphs and keeps marketers and focus groups employed. Chapter 15 should show you a lot of these graphs.
This also shows why the military procurement system can be such a nightmare. Image all the vehicles in the motor pool...the Hummers, the M2/M3s, the M1 tanks, the 5 tons and 2 1/2 ton trucks, the M113's, the LAV/Strykers, Hemmits, M88's, whatever the artillery brigade uses, FAVs, all of them use different parts. A generator/alternator off an M113 will not fit in a Bradley or a M1, and vice versa. About the only things interchangable are nuts and bolts, a few gaskets, sparkplugs and glowplugs, and maybe headlights. Real parts aren't standardized. And don't even get started on aircraft parts.
Posted by: Deskmerc at August 28, 2006 05:50 AM (Lrs90)
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Umm...You forgot to tag five people. Ooh-ooh, pick me!
Posted by: Erin at August 28, 2006 01:40 PM (023Of)
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Sarah, This is funny. I opened the nearest book, which happened to be Faulkner's _Absalom, Absalom!_. I turned to page 123. There was only one sentence on the page and it was continued from the previous page. It isn't as bad as it sounds.
Posted by: herb at August 29, 2006 04:33 PM (oELOP)
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August 26, 2006
BE PREPARED
Yesterday I stopped in at Goodwill to check out their book section. I left with tons of books, including fifty cent copies of
What to Expect When You're Expecting and
What to Expect the First Year. I've heard these are popular books for pregnancy reading, and I didn't want to pass up such a good deal when I know I'll want them someday. Anyway, they caught the eye of the girls working the checkout counter, who got really excited for me. I realized it's a tad embarrassing to be explain that you're not pregnant but you're buying books about pregnancy.
Of course, anyone who knows me well is probably laughing, because they know there's no way on earth I'll get pregnant until I've read both books cover to cover and used different highlighters to color-code important information within. My husband and I are the ultimate planners. We spent months researching the type of dog we wanted, for pete's sake. My husband did so much research on our Mazda5 that he knew more about it than the salesman (an advantage which helped him get it at invoice). Right now he's been spending all his free time making intricate spreadsheets comparing different mortgages and the time value of our money to see how we can save $300 over the next five years. We're pretty intense people when it comes to Decisions That Affect Our Future, but heck, we even consult Consumer Reports to decide which dishwasher soap to buy. So while it might've seemed funny to the girls at Goodwill, those who know us aren't shocked that I bought pregnancy books for the baby we'll probably have in 2008.
Which is actually starting to freak me out a little. In Germany we always said that we'd wait until our next duty station. That was two PCSes away, so it seemed safe. But now we move in just over three months, and the reality of "we're buying the house where we'll have our first baby" is starting to freak me out. It's not going to be anywhere near Angie, and she's supposed to be my nanny!
I better start reading those books soon...
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lol, I purchased
What to expect When You Are Expecting a couple of weeks ago when my husband and I decided that we were going to start trying. The guy behind the counter started to congratulate me but I quickly pointed at the tampons that I was also purchasing.
Posted by: Jill at August 26, 2006 05:18 AM (EOWoo)
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Just come and live with me for the first 12 months...after that I'm stumpped.If you need or want anymore books, let me know! I'll just give you mine as we are NOT having any more babies of own!!!
I'd still love to be your "super nanny"!!! That makes me feel so good to hear that. Maybe we could even doggie-sit Charlie again too!! Smiles!
p.s. freddie wants to type something tooujmiythvpj
v nbbhujymmz sv6hytbvhg nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn\ p9ik
...(he's been kicking the keyboard and drooling all over me as i've been typing this)
Posted by: Angie at August 26, 2006 06:36 AM (SA3c9)
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Sarah...I can't even tell you how much I would give to have been in line with you while you explained why you were purchasing those books! You are freakin' hilarious.
(and I've been in Canada this week, so that's why you haven't gotten a hold of me. I'll call you later this weekend for sure.)
Posted by: Erin at August 26, 2006 07:51 AM (023Of)
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The What to Expect books should be read with a critical eye, as they have some misinformation, particularly on recommendations for weaning and recommending against co-sleeping.
Posted by: Anon at August 26, 2006 09:00 AM (dGLAJ)
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I liked "The Baby Book" and the "The Birth Book" . . . I still use it from time to time when the stinker is sick. Happy Reading!
Posted by: Heidi at August 26, 2006 01:57 PM (Rlz+k)
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So you said I'm going to be a grandmother?!?! Oh, but you said 2008. Oh well, I'll just have to wait!
Love,
Your Mama
Posted by: Nancy at August 26, 2006 06:54 PM (pquEL)
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I just love hearing that I'm not the only obsessive planner around! Whew.
I think it all makes perfect sense. But you might want to take that with a grain of salt. Consider the source and all....
;-)
Posted by: Tammi at August 27, 2006 02:19 AM (3UQTn)
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This post was so funny. I can totally see you in line! I will tell you though, you can read those books over and over again and your child will do something totally different. Nic is always pulling something over on me and I try to look it up and I get stumped everytime. And even after having Nat and thinking "I should be prepared for this, since I have already done it once", something always goes backwards and I resort to the "books" again. My advice: be prepared but also go with the flow and have fun!
Posted by: Jennifer at August 27, 2006 05:41 AM (sBEwC)
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Too funny! My husband is a planning fanatic, too. He mapped out our whole lives on a spreadsheet before we were married -- right down to when I would be pregnant for each of our three children. I told him that I thought we had decided to have 4, but he said that he couldn't fit it in to the spreadsheet.
So right now, we have zero children and are a little behind on that timeline. Hopefully in the near future! Like you, I'm starting to feel a little anxious about it maybe being "FOR REAL" time to start trying. YIKES!!! Am I really old enough to be a mom?!
Posted by: Rachel at August 27, 2006 10:51 AM (qAmfL)
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Heh - about the only thing my husband and I didn't plan was the kids... LOL.
Posted by: Teresa at August 28, 2006 05:01 PM (o4pJS)
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Congrats on trying! I have read about 7 books by now. Its been 6 months since we first started. Here's to sending some baby dust your way!
Posted by: Household6 at August 30, 2006 11:42 AM (40zEu)
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August 23, 2006
SMELLS
I've heard that the best human sense for recall is not sight but smell. I got a new air freshener for the car today that was supposed to smell like "fresh cotton." Either I was misinformed as to what cotton smells like, or this air freshener should've been labeled "old timey bottle of Bayer." I instantly thought of
my MuMu. She always kept aspirin and Mentholatum by her bed. What's interesting about the nose is that I didn't really remember that my grandma smelled like aspirin until I smelled that air freshener. And though Bayer is not the best smell for the car, I think I will keep it. And think of her when I drive.
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JUST NASTY
Did you know that Fox News Channel reporter Steve Centanni and freelance cameraman Olaf Wiig were kidnapped in Gaza? Maybe not, since all we hear about on TV these days is John Mark Karr. But according to some TV critic guy named Bob Lawrence, this may be
more than just an oversight:
Fox has deliberately set itself apart from other news media. Starting at the top with Roger Ailes, the Fox sales pitch has been to deride other media, to declare itself the one source of the real truth, the sole source of ‘fair and accurate’ news reporting. As a result, there’s not a reservoir of kinship or good will with Fox on the part of the rest of the news media. You can’t keep insulting people and then expect friendship when you need it.
TheyÂ’ve made it a policy to keep a distance between themselves and the rest of the media, far beyond the usual competitive spirit, so thatÂ’s where they are: at a distance.
So you mean I was right to make the snide comment a week ago that no one would care because the journalist was from Fox? I thought I was being overly snarky, but I guess life is stranger than parody.
I'm with Cold Fury:
So howzabout we make a little deal: since you and your liberal-media playmates find yourselves unable to muster enough patriotic spirit — or, for that matter, simple human decency — to bother concerning yourselves about the fate of a couple of fellow American journalists because their politics may not mesh with your own, from here on out, American soldiers (the overwhelming majority of whom violently disagree with your politics, which I think we can safely infer from your snide and heartless comment) will no longer be expected to go out and rescue your sorry, worthless asses when the terrorists you’re so busy propagandizing for get tired of putting up with your ass-kissing sycophancy and decide you’d be more useful as hostages instead.
In other words, if partisan politics means that much to you liberal-media jackholes, and youÂ’re that closed-minded that you canÂ’t even rise above your own petty liberal dogma to scrape up a plugged nickelÂ’s worth of fellow-feeling for your American colleagues no matter who they work (or voted) for, then you have no right to expect any when you find yourself caught in a steel-jawed Islamist trap of your own devising.
If the North Kosanese getcha, don't expect any help from your "countrymen"...
Posted by: Sarah at
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The death of common decency.... It's a very sad thing to witness. Very sad.
Posted by: Andi at August 23, 2006 03:37 PM (g1Or8)
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Soldiers shouldn't protect liberals eh? Nice one Mussolini. Here's the truth though - other media outlets snub Fox News because it's not a real news program. It's propaganda. The guy who got kidnapped isn't a reporter - he's a propagandist. So yeah, maybe we shouldn't care as much.
Posted by: Will at August 23, 2006 05:37 PM (TfuSc)
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Will is a boil that should be lanced.
Posted by: Oda Mae at August 23, 2006 08:40 PM (BDfvU)
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Will is mistaken. Just because he works for FOX news shouldn't mean anything compared to the larger picture which is an American citizen is being held hostage by a bunch of terrorists. Hopefully he'll be safely re-united with his family. That is the most important thing right now at the moment. It's been awhile since I've posted just want to say I enjoy your blog........dislike your politics. That's all folks.
Posted by: tommy in nyc at August 24, 2006 06:15 AM (NMK3S)
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I don't know... Fox News is bad for people so Steve Centanni is bad for people so I can't work up much sympathy.
I can say these things now because we're only three monthes away from taking back the congress and senate, so fuck you.
Posted by: Will at August 24, 2006 09:10 AM (TfuSc)
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Will, Will, Will,
What am I going to do with you? I was hoping you would start debating and disagreeing without being so mean-spirited. I don't give up on people easily; just ask my daughter! I'm still counting on you. You're never too old to change for the better. I'm still trying myself, and I'm almost sixty. Hang in there!
Nancy
Posted by: Nancy at August 25, 2006 06:58 PM (pquEL)
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P.S.
I don't mean change your politics, your beliefs, etc., just try to present your case without so much aggression. You do keep this blog lively, that's for sure!
Nancy
Posted by: Nancy at August 25, 2006 07:00 PM (pquEL)
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You are too nice, as always, Nancy. I doubt Will can change - he enjoys being an autocratic, smug wanker a bit too much to give it up - even if a miracle occurs and his dream of a Congress made up of short sighted ostriches actually comes true.
Posted by: Oda Mae at August 26, 2006 03:03 AM (k3v1s)
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Look at what the Freepers were saying about liberal whore anti-American Jill Caroll. Just look.
Posted by: herb at August 26, 2006 08:09 PM (8NVD0)
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She was the one telling the stories conservatives claim that they want to be told, but when she was captured, Limbaugh exclaimed that "Something inside me likes this, my friends liberals being show reality"
Posted by: Herb at August 26, 2006 08:17 PM (8NVD0)
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TOILET HUMOR
Our toilet has officially turned into a European toilet. Maintenance has been out twice already to plunge, snake, and grumble, but the water simply won't suck down the hole; it just stirs. Last night I was trying to think of a joke I could make about it, so I tried to come up with something that doesn't belong in a toilet. I laughed out loud and teased my husband, "Honey, you really need to stop shoving Korans down our toilet."
It's funny when the first thing that comes to mind when you think "what could clog a toilet?" is the Koran...
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Well, they don't call them Shitte for nothing.
Posted by: tim at August 23, 2006 04:22 AM (QsSL6)
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I was laughing at the joke, but then I fell off my seat when I read Tim's comment.
Posted by: Kelly at August 23, 2006 11:00 AM (6A9n0)
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August 22, 2006
BWAHAHAHAHA
It's the
new "Democracy, Whiskey, Sexy!"
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SOS
Oda Mae --
I don't know if my emails aren't reaching you. At least one got kicked back. Anyway, I need your address to send your bear to you. See if you can email it to me.
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THE WRONG THING TO READ AT 3 AM
Charlie threw up at 0315, and I couldn't go back to sleep after we cleaned it up. I thought some internet would help, but clicking on
this Amritas post in the middle of the night just made my head reel even more.
He says, among many other things:
Instead of focusing on over there, we should remember what we can do here. Specifically, tighten the borders. Minimize Muslim immigration.
But noooo. We want more 'security'. More war in East Ameraq. No attention paid to the Muslims that continue to stream into the West. We whine about the jihadists among them when it's too late - when they're already here - often with citizenship. What does that say about us? We want to be warriors, bravely defending our fortress - while we leave the back door wide open. Why? Because we also want to pat ourselves on the back for being free of bigotry. Aren't we wonderful?
I can't find anything there I don't agree with. Amritas has gradually come to see the war in Iraq as the wrong move, which I can respect because I've followed his thought process, and nowhere did it involve ideas like "no blood for oil" or "Bush is Hitler". Common ground goes a long way. And when I read things like the segment of Diana West's article he quoted, I find myself agreeing:
I wanted to make the world - that part of the world from which terrorism mainly springs - democratic, and therefore, safe.
Over the past few years, then, the United States has supported fledgling democracies in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Palestinian Authority ... But the fact is, when these peoples have spoken, what we have heard, or should have been hearing, in the expression of their collective will is that the mechanics of democracy alone (one citizen, one vote) do not automatically manufacture democrats - if by democrats we mean citizens who believe first and foremost in the kind of liberty that guarantees freedom of conscience and equality before the law.
On the contrary, each of these new democracies has produced constitutions that enshrine Islamic law.
This, as I understand it, is a big part of why Amritas feels we made the wrong move by going into Iraq. I can appreciate this argument, since I have fretted about the same thing in recent times. My husband and I worry constantly about the seven signs of non-competitive states, which I think wholly applies to the Middle East problem.
That said, I still see good in our presence in Iraq. Varifrank reminds us this week that Iran could've easily armed Hizbollah if Old Iraq had been in the middle to cooperate.
Even though there's a whole website dedicated to me being the world's biggest war cheerleader (yep, it's still up and running), I have never said that I have all the answers. I, like Amritas, simply fear and even hate Islam. But I don't know the best course of action for defending ourselves from it; I just know I'll support whatever it takes to get them to leave us alone.
Posted by: Sarah at
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August 21, 2006
August 20, 2006
GRAVITY'S BURDEN
Last night we watched
Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Meh. It wasn't that great, but it's easy to finish a so-so movie; it's only two hours of my life. However, I am struggling with applying the same concept to the book I'm reading. I've already sunk countless hours into
Gravity's Rainbow, and I can't decide if I want to keep going or throw in the towel.
I've never not finished a book (well, except once, but I felt guilty for 15 years). I always think that there's got to be something of value in most books, so I hate to quit them. Maybe the good part is at the end, and I'll never know. But it's bad news when you're on page 140 of a 760 page book and every page feels like a chore.
Has anyone else read this book? Is it worth it? There are whole companion books dedicated to this monster; doesn't it seem like any book that you need two other books and several websites to understand is a bit ridiculous? When the Wikipedia entry starts "The main narrative thread (insofar as there is one)", that's not a good sign. Nor is the fact that the book was suggested for a Pulitzer and rejected by the board because it was "unreadable."
And I thought I'd type out a passage for you to mull over when I googled it and found that Photon Courier has written about the same passage. Because it's his favorite. The one that was practically my breaking point. Sigh. I know he's read my blog once before; maybe he can urge me to keep going in the book.
I will point out that he cut the passage way down though. Perhaps even he was daunted by a 16 line sentence.
At what point do you cut your losses with a book and move on? Or do you keep trudging through and hope that the end of the book brings enlightenment or at least satisfaction in knowing you didn't give up?
I don't like to quit books. But I also don't like dreading picking it up.
Posted by: Sarah at
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Your wish is my command...here I am. I do think it's a great book (and the reason I cut the passage down was mainly because I was too lazy to type the whole thing.)
But I don't see any need to finish this, or any other book, if you're not enjoying it. 140 pages is probably a fair test as to whether you're going to like it or not.
Posted by: David Foster at August 20, 2006 08:58 AM (/Z304)
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Sarah--
I agree with David. I vividly remember when I turned 25 and I suddenly realized that life is short--and there is no way I'll be able to read all the books I want to! Don't waste your time on a book you don't love or that doesn't challenge you.
Posted by: Lara--the English Teacher at August 20, 2006 10:14 AM (wLffD)
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Here's another GR excerpt, and one which I think is highly relevant to some of our current issues, as I explain in the post:
Journalism's Nuremberg
Posted by: david foster at August 20, 2006 11:05 AM (/Z304)
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Sarah,
I have to agree with Lara. Books are for either education and reference (in which case a certain amount of trudging through sludge is acceptable) or for enjoyment (in which case "life is short".) If a reading for fun book isn't, trade it at a used book store for something better. Maybe someone else will enjoy it more than you. Keep looking for things what you will enjoy. One of life's reading pleasures is finding a previously unknown to you book by an author that you enjoy. As you can tell from my name, my favorite genre if obvious.
Posted by: ScifiJim at August 20, 2006 12:59 PM (SYh5A)
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Sarah,
Try reading _The Crying Of Lot 49_ or the stories collected under the title _Slow Learner_. The BIG BOOK is a poor introduction to Pynchon.
Posted by: Herb at August 20, 2006 01:35 PM (yl7FB)
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Reading things that do not interest or entertain
you should have stopped being an option once you
got that degree. Stop the madness and toss it
aside. Sorry,140 pages is more than a fair try.
If the author can't reel you in and make you
want to know what's next,they aren't very good.
I'm not terribly hard to please,either. I love
to read and will happily dive into any genre.
The last book I tossed aside was "Infinite Jest"
back in 1996,by the way. I just didn't care
enough to finish the thing. Some people love it
and more power to them. JUST don't feel guilty.
Please.
Posted by: MaryIndiana at August 20, 2006 06:47 PM (YwdKL)
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Yeah, I do a similar thing. I read about books on Amazon, then ask the local library to order them for me. When I get them, I read a few pages and think "Hey, they really gave this piece of junk five stars? Why!?! Maybe it becomes clear later." So I have stopped reading FIVE diffent books this week. One for each night. And yes, I do feel guilty, because I brought them down from Belgium and the Netherlands. Live and learn. I need to read the first few pages myself before taking some unknown reviewer's comments to heart.
Posted by: Oda Mae at August 20, 2006 08:38 PM (YgLuj)
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I almost took a class at university here, until I read the course description very well: "In 1997, exactly 25 years after the publication of Thomas Pynchon's 'masterpiece' Gravity's Rainbow, Mason & Dixon, a historical rewrite of the life of James Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, hit the bookstores. This course will be devoted to a very close reading (in the best of academic worlds, I would assume that the book has been read 'at least once' before the start of the semester) of this long-awaited novel by one of the most enigmatic, notorious and fascinating authors writing in America today. In the course, we will follow the slow, traumatic drawing of the Mason & Dixon line across the body of the American continent. The work on this 'line' brings together a bunch of illustrious people (Benjamin Franklin, a psychedelic musician sporting blue sunglasses; George Washington, inhaling; Vaucasson's duck, alive and in love with a French chef; Capt. Zhang, a Feng Shui master running from a Jesuit monk) and a number of curious concepts (a secret Jesuit telegraph system making extended use of balloons and satellites, a 'hollow earth,' 'eleven lost days,' a werebeaver and smoke-rings in the form of möbius-strips). Topics dealt with in the course range from questions about narrative structure, narrative voice (the narrator, Wicks Cherrycoke is a minor character from Gravity's Rainbow who seems to have made it into this new novel by virtue of some sort of 'transpagination'), historiographic metafiction, cultural studies and traumatology to questions about coffee, hemp, ghosts, and lost loves."
As a history major this would have really really tested me. And I decided to pass...(Also, I love how the book should be read "at least once" before starting the class.)
A few years ago I started the whole "not finishing a book thing". The first time it's hard, but afterwards it gets easier. If the literary world is a smorgasbord, I don't want to get stuffed up on the "100 year old eggs" just 'cos they are character building...take me to the prime rib and the eclairs!
Posted by: CaliValleyGirl at August 20, 2006 11:41 PM (8nHbe)
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Postmodernist dog feces. "it is a book not set aside lightly, it should be hurled with great force". May as well read Slaughterhouse 5, which will at least have places that you have been.
Posted by: Jason at August 21, 2006 06:08 AM (Lrs90)
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Assuage your guilt by donating those unfinished books to your public library. Not only will others get the benefit, and the lilbrary get a book it may not have been able to afford but you can always go check it out if you really MUST finish it.

)
Posted by: wiser_now at August 25, 2006 03:00 PM (M0aqG)
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P.S....and if you donate it to the library; it's tax deductible (get a receipt).
I, too, hated to give up on a book. But I've found over the years that some books aren't worth the time. So, give it up and don't feel guilty. The time you save can be used reading something really worthwhile!!!
Posted by: Pamela at August 28, 2006 03:20 PM (b28Se)
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August 19, 2006
LAME
Let me just say that I loathe myself for falling into that age-old trap of trying to lose weight a month before your high school reunion. I can't believe I'm playing that dumb game, but I am. I'd like to consider it Incentive, since I know I need to get better at exercising anyway, but I feel like it's more like Panic than Incentive. So I've been working out, probably my second least favorite thing to do behind getting a sonogram.
Don't you hate when you go to the gym and get on the machine next to SuperWoman? It's happened to me two weekends in a row. I'm not sure men care so much, but the first thing a woman will do is look at her neighbor's screen and compare. And the girl next to me goes harder, longer, and farther than me. By a long shot. I feel like Rocky Balboa if I can do 30 min, but this girl does an hour at a faster pace. And it's all I can think about the whole time I'm exercising: all the excuses for why I haven't decided to deal with the 20 lbs I've gained since high school until a month before it matters.
Plus I'm a liar. It's probably more like 25.
God, I hate exercising.
Posted by: Sarah at
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go to the gym????4real????that's a 25mile ''road trip'', where i live!!!
TRUST ME!!!!that reunion is gonna be a cake walk...just wait til you see how many guys are pot bellied & bald!
Posted by: debey at August 19, 2006 07:42 AM (pO9wb)
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Do what I do; ask them to slow down because their hard workout is causing my beer to slosh and spill.
When I went to my 20th HS reunion (missed my 30th because I was in Iraq), everyone had gained weight. But the real concern was over who still had hair (guys) and who had selective surgery (gals).
So I say, "Don't worry about it! Just go and have a great time."
Posted by: R1 at August 19, 2006 09:38 AM (Mn1rm)
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I hate going to the gym for that specific reason as well, and by the way, you look great even though you think that you need to lose 25 pounds. Stop that you are wonderful the way you are!! Miss ya Kelly
Posted by: Kelly at August 20, 2006 09:11 PM (GrNYI)
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August 18, 2006
BASTARD
Yes,
death penalty, please.
Hershel Morgan can rot in hell.
Jessica Curless was my brother's good friend.
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08:28 AM
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Wow, I didn't know they found who murdered her. I'm sure there's a special place in hell for him.
Posted by: Erin at August 18, 2006 08:24 PM (023Of)
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GULP
Bring the troops home now!
From Germany.
As if I haven't said this often enough, our posts in Germany are a huge waste of money. I just came up with another reason why.
Remember my heater in Germany? The one that kept our house at 80 degrees, whether we liked it or not? We didn't have to pay for that heater. Nor did we have to pay for electricity, water, gas, garbage, or anything else. Well, now we have to pay for those things, and I am appalled at how expensive they are. And how much we got away with in Germany on the government's dime.
We now have 1100 sq feet and a gas/electric bill of $130. We keep our house a disgusting 80 degrees now too because we don't want to pay for more. And I can't help but cringe when I think of all my neighbors who opened their windows in the winter because it was too hot in our houses in Germany. Think of all the money it cost our government to pump heat into houses where you can't control the thermostat, houses with an additional 500-600 sq feet. Man alive. Think of all the times we had every light blazing and the TV running all day long. We never had to deal with the consequences of our electric habits.
I told my husband last night that we're going to start lighting this house with candles. I'm far too tight to shell out $130 for electricity. And it will only get worse when we buy a house.
Why, oh why, don't they have thermostats in our houses in Germany?
Posted by: Sarah at
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$130? I wish! Our electricity bill was slightly below $200 last month and that's LOW for around here! We have a/c but rarely run it. With dh gone, we don't use 1/2 of the electricity that we normally use.
But I hear ya on the Germany issue. As for thermostats...they probably don't have them because they would be "too expensive" to install...
Posted by: HomefrontSix at August 18, 2006 09:54 AM (4Es1w)
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I'm big into energy-conservation and since we've become home owners, I've learned a few tips: 1) If you have ceiling fans, run them because they cost less than 1 cent/hour and can make a huge difference during the summer months 2) Keep your thermostat at 78 during the summer and 68 during the winter and your bills won't be so crazy 3) This is just my thing...I always keep my windows open during the day and take advantage of the sunshine so my lights are usually off until late into the evening.
As you can see, I'm pretty tight with the electricity but it pays! I agree with you...I'm sure the waste in Germany was shameful. If I can keep our electric bill a penny under $100/month, I feel like I'm doing pretty well.
Posted by: Nicole at August 18, 2006 10:59 AM (nTCFk)
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More tips: Don't cook anything for yourself - just order in. Avoid the use of parties - turntables, speakers and dark lights cost money. Play more multiplayer online computer games in the dark. Whittle the number of friends you have down until it's just those you know from other blogs. Knit. Learn to dance to the songs of your dreams rather than the songs on your surround system. Sleeping is also a good way to conserve.
Posted by: Will at August 18, 2006 02:12 PM (TfuSc)
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Yes, I hate it when we have no control of the energy usage. On the other hand, I can control what blogs I read and I always come here for a dose of excellent writing.
I don't knit, but I am a single sailor in charge of a bunch of married guys. Your blog gives me great perspective, esp. since I am deployed overseas and my guys are separated from their loved ones. I gave out your blog address a friend to give to his wife.
God bless and thanks. We appreciate it.
Posted by: Eric at August 20, 2006 09:27 AM (GqGQo)
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I feel your pain on all things Germany, especially the heat, lack of AC and many other things. Although I admit that I miss it terribly in many ways and still want the chance to live their again! Isn't it funny that you can't wait to PCS from somewhere only to later want to go back!?!
Posted by: LMT at August 20, 2006 08:43 PM (DhMbx)
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ANNIVERSARY
As of today, we're here because we want to be.
Last night, my husband and I realized that today is his four year anniversary of being in the Army. If he had wanted to get out, he would've skipped this course and we would've coasted the rest of our time in Germany until today. And today we would've been civilians.
It's strange to think about, really. But it's also kinda fun to know that we're now here not because of an obligation he made when he was 19, but because he chose to stay. Pretty cool.
And I couldn't help but remember CaliValley's rant...
And the misery we endured when my husband couldn't start the Army right away. How poor we were then! But it makes where we are four years later all the sweeter. The Army's been good to us.
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Congrats on the Anniversary.
Oh, and in case it hasn't been said lately - Thank you BOTH for choosing the life you have. Without men, women, FAMILIES like y'all this country would not be what it is today.
Thank you!
Posted by: Tammi at August 19, 2006 03:46 AM (3UQTn)
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I read CaliValleyGirl's post and comments. I do most of our interviews at work. I love interviewing and hiring former military people. They have self confidence, a sense of pride in their previous employment, self discipline and the desire to do well. I always visit with them about their enlistment too (where they were stationed, their rank, what they did, etc.) and then tell them that I appreciate their service to our country. I do think it's ignorance that causes most people to make stupid statements about the military. It's also something that most people don't understand, but instead of saying nothing something stupid comes out of their mouths. I've had several people say things to me about you all and when I respond in a positive way and tell them you decided together about the re-enlistment and how you are completely supportive of your husband, they have a "REALLY?!?" expression on their faces. There are a few seconds of awkwardness for them, and then they say that it's wonderful to have people who want to serve in the military! Happy 4th Anniversary! The older I get you do realize the harder it will be to keep track of all your anniversaries you celebrate--starting to date, getting engaged, getting married, getting Charlie and now the anniversary of the enlistment! Too funny!
Love you,
Mama
Posted by: Nancy at August 20, 2006 10:23 PM (pquEL)
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August 17, 2006
INTERNET
The joys and headaches of the internet. From
Robert McHenry:
[What we have here is] the dissolution of categories, the collapse of hierarchy, that used to help us navigate information in a way that Google cannot. Time was, we understood that what is written in a scholarly monograph is different from what is written in a reference book, which is different from what is written in an informal essay, which is different from what is written in a news bulletin, which is different from what is offhandedly jotted down, which is different from what is scribbled on the bathroom wall. Different in intent, different in style, different in reliability. And not only did we understand that they were different, we could tell which was what, usually at a glance.
When the world wide web took off, I was finishing high school and starting college. We were told we could not use internet sites for research papers because they were unreliable: any old guy could write any old thing on the web. But now I think we've come full circle; I trust Charles Johnson infinitely more than I trust Dan Rather. News reports are full of lies and fake photos. Academic papers insist that Neil Prakash is a dentist. How can any high schooler or college student wade through this mass of bias and nonsense to write a paper for school? And how can any teacher decide which sources fly these days?
Thank goodness I'm done with school.
Posted by: Sarah at
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August 16, 2006
WHEW
Mom and brother are fine, of course.
More tomorrow; we have
House to watch.
Posted by: Sarah at
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Ever watch any Firefly? Its right up there with Battlestar Galactica, and not because the same 3D folks do all the work.
Posted by: Deskmerc at August 16, 2006 06:57 PM (15Nko)
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I think I watch too much House. The other day one of my legs was a little painful, so I self diagnosed that I had some rotting muscle tissue and I was slowly poisoning myself. Pain went away of course...but then I also get all paranoid when I watch too much CSI. And I have been on a Law and Order binge lately too. It always makes me think that people in those professions must be just as ticked off at those shows as we get about the inaccuracy of military related shows. I CAN'T WAIT to get back to the US to be able to DVR all my favortie shows. Yeee-haw!
Posted by: CaliValleyGirl at August 17, 2006 06:08 AM (uj4Eo)
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August 15, 2006
IT WORKED
My mother and brother are flying between two big American cities tomorrow. I talked to my mom on the phone today and said, "Well, I love you, just in case." And though we were joking about how they're more likely to be hurt on the way to the airport, and how security will be tight tomorrow, I still got a lump in my throat. And it focused my
laser beam even more.
I saw Nihad Awad from CAIR on TV last night, talking all that "terrorism has nothing to do with Islam, religion of peace, jihad is a personal struggle" nonsense. I remembered that baloney today when I read these harsh words on Ace's post:
Although I've usually been careful to use the preferred term "Islamofascist" as most "resepctable" commentators do, with the occasional sloppy slip-up, as a means of distinguishing peaceful, loyal Muslims from the terrorists--
I'm dropping that practice, as of today. Until the Muslim community can demonstrate it is, in word and deed, as opposed to the slaughter of its fellow citizens as true citizenship in the UK, US, Australia, etc., demand, I'm not pretending we have an "Islamofascist" problem anymore. What we have is a Muslim problem.
If the Muslim community wanted to eliminate terrorism, it could do so within a month.
As it's not part of the solution, it's part of the problem, and it's time to judge it as such.
I'm mad that my mom can't get on a plane without thinking the worst. I'm mad that terrorism has worked on me, that I'm scared today. I hate that after five years of this junk, I have little but contempt for the Muslim community.
Hand me my needles; I need to do some serious aggression knitting.
Posted by: Sarah at
10:36 AM
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I feel the same way about Christians and wars of imperialism. You can't really seperate the two.
Posted by: Will at August 15, 2006 02:39 PM (TfuSc)
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Your snappy comment doesn't make sense to me, Will. You're going to have to elaborate.
Posted by: Sarah at August 15, 2006 04:14 PM (YL5y0)
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Please, allow me to elaborate.
You say (or agree with anyway) that the Muslim faith is directly linked to terrorism because "if the Muslim community wanted to eliminate terrorism, it could do so within a month." And the reason (you must suppose) that the Muslim community can eliminate terrorism is that the Islamic faith controls and heavily weighs on the actions of terrorists. (This, of course, completely discounts real-world, current issues that might influence terrorists - ie: if Muslim terrorists are pissed about Western involvement and presence in the Middle East, they're going to be pissed whether the Muslim faith allows them to or not.)
I look at the history of the world and see the genocide of natives, the empires of Britain and France, the wars by Germany in the 20th century, Vietnam... these are wars of imperalism, whether resource-based or ideological, and they're wars fought by Christian countries that were, and continue to be, horrific monstrosities on a global but very human scale.
If I were to assume things about Christianity the same way you assume things about Islam, it would be very easy to blame all the tragedies of the past on the Christian community and go around calling people Christianfascists.
But that shit is too easy, and most of all, it's wrong, IMHO.
Posted by: Will at August 15, 2006 10:54 PM (TfuSc)
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To quote Joe Dirt, you're focusing on the wrong part of the story.
Posted by: Sarah at August 16, 2006 02:31 AM (YL5y0)
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I have been sitting at my computer for 15 minutes trying to write a comment. These issues bring up such powerful emotions for me. I can't express my feelings.
Everything I have read tells me that Islam is a religion of violence, that they are not interested in sharing the earth peacably with non-Muslims. Maybe I need to read the Kuran myself to see what it really says. I want to believe that the religion teaches peace but I have seen no evidence of that. All I have seen in the news is evidence of the contrary.
I hope your family members are safely on the ground by now.
Posted by: Lou at August 16, 2006 08:25 AM (0+7qK)
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Your Joe Dirt comment doesn't make sense to me, Sarah. You're going to have to elaborate or quote from a better movie. I suggest Wayne's World.
Posted by: Will at August 16, 2006 09:04 AM (TfuSc)
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Will blows goats. I have proof.
Posted by: Sarah at August 16, 2006 12:42 PM (YL5y0)
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All I have to say about that is asphinctersayswhat.
Posted by: Will at August 16, 2006 01:15 PM (TfuSc)
Posted by: jewboy at August 16, 2006 05:29 PM (CJOXp)
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Yes, your brother and I made it to our destination on Wed. and back home Sat. night. I wonder what would have been going through Will's mind if he was boarding a plane on the terrorists' "D-Day?" I was extremely observant in the airport and boarding the plane. Our seats were near the restroom, and I watched every single person go in and come out. I didn't mind having to take my shoes and jacket off for security, having no lipstick, lip balm, or lotion in my purse (which I always carry), having the TSA search our bags, showing my driver's license at several points, having my purse searched (I made it easier on them because I put all of the contents in a ziplock bag inside my purse), seeing National Guardsmen in the airports and lots of TSA officers everywhere. I also prayed alot! It's sad that the terrorists have made it necessary to change some of the things in our lives that we normally take for granted, but if that's what it takes to keep us safe, then I don't mind the little inconveniences. The only thing I would change would be to do profiling! I really don't care whether it's politcally correct or whether it offends certain people. We have a long list of terrorist attacks to justify it.
Otherwise, it was a great trip, weather was beautiful, gourmet meals, got to do some fun things after our meetings, etc. Really enjoyed it.
Love,
Mama
Posted by: Nancy at August 20, 2006 11:35 PM (pquEL)
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August 14, 2006
2996
I clicked on a link to
Uncle Sam Ate My Baby blog because of the hilarious name. What I found was a wonderful thing called 2996. It is a project to honor those who died on 9/11; participants research a victim and post their tribute on the fifth anniversary. I signed up for a person immediately. They still need about 1200 people to participate, so if you have any interest in this project, please go to
2996 and sign up.
Posted by: Sarah at
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Yes Sarah I did that last month as well. I hope they are able to get everyone represented. Maybe I should sign up for another...
Posted by: Kathleen A at August 15, 2006 04:20 PM (7qm8p)
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Thanks for telling us about this Sarah.
I went and signed up for a person.
Posted by: MaryIndiana at August 17, 2006 06:34 PM (paBpt)
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