April 30, 2004
NERDSTAR!!
I got a postcard from Nerdstar today, in response to the
birthday card I sent her a while back. It's amazing how the blogosphere can connect two people who would've never met and bring them together to support each other. That makes one letter from an acquaintence soldier and zero from my "best friend" from back home. Perspective.
Posted by: Sarah at
10:15 AM
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It was weird to see "Nerdstar" on your blog! :-)
That's cool you got a postcard, I haven't gotten snail mail from her since she was here on leave!!
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EMAIL
Mail takes about two weeks to and from Iraq. Apparently email takes three days. Just this morning I got an email that my husband sent me on Tuesday. Weird.
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05:04 AM
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This is one super duper site7
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April 27, 2004
TIDE
I know there's some expression about things getting darkest right before dawn or something like that, but I can't put my finger on it right now. Nonetheless, it fits me today: I've had two really great conversations today and I feel like the friend situation here is really looking up. It was a tide-turning day.
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Even nearing month 6 of her time in Iraq, no tide turning feelings here. My tide turns when her ship sails in and I can actually see for myself she's home and in one piece!
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April 26, 2004
COLLECT
Hey, do you collect anything? I collect lots of stuff. Not nice things like china patterns, but real dorky collections. Touristy magnets. Bottle caps. Matchbooks. Buttons. Tourist t-shirts from Las Vegas. Weird stuff. What do you collect?
Posted by: Sarah at
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I collect blogs
Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 26, 2004 03:46 AM (+S1Ft)
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I collect Mardi Gras masks. My husband collects shot glasses.
Posted by: Lani at April 26, 2004 05:11 AM (rZmE1)
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Books. Every time I move, 25% of the weight is in reading material!
Posted by: Mike at April 26, 2004 10:02 AM (cFRpq)
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I collect pens with logo from different places. Hey Cuz how about some from Europe?
Posted by: linda at April 26, 2004 10:23 AM (LaQYb)
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We do the shot glass thing. We get a shot glass from every place we have been on vacation.
We have a lot of shot glasses now
Now we just need to build the bar to display the shot glasses on!
Posted by: Machelle at April 26, 2004 11:48 AM (W/eGG)
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Keychains. I collect keychains. I have a hell of a lot, too.
Posted by: Taron W at April 26, 2004 12:06 PM (s915e)
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good one Pixy! LOL
me: root beer bottles, shot glasses from colleges, books, fountain pens, cute stuffed animals
Posted by: annika at April 26, 2004 05:49 PM (zAOEU)
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Chickens... all kinds of chickens... stuffed toys, brass ornaments, wooden carvings, salt/pepper shakers, kitchen towels, anything else with a chicken on it.
Posted by: Madfish Willie at April 26, 2004 10:22 PM (gB6gJ)
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Hours of college credit...I think I'm up to 170 without a degree. But I'm close!
...And dust buffalo's; I store them in my roommate's closet.
Posted by: Beth at April 26, 2004 11:41 PM (S4qEY)
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Spoons. I'm not sure why, but I do.
Posted by: fad at April 27, 2004 12:38 AM (pW+Wv)
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Shooter glasses (the tall, cylindrical shot glasses), from everywhere I go. The more garish the better. They are tucked away in a closet, and I have no idea what I will ever do with them.
Go figure.
Posted by: Parkway Rest Stop at April 27, 2004 02:17 AM (Apafo)
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I collect caps both for myself and for my 12 yr old nephew. I just got a couple of new ones from my little road trip to TN. One that is great is from Austin Peay SU which says: "Let's Go Peay!" Get it? Haha. HEY - it's the simple humor in life that keeps a person going.
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April 23, 2004
BELONGINGS
Yesterday was a rough day for my friends here. The two of them work in the Quartermaster: they tag and sort soldiers' uniforms and TA50 to be laundered. Yesterday
PFC Ludlam's laundry came in. My two friends tearfully and carefully tagged every piece of clothing PFC Ludlam had here in Germany, to make absolutely certain that all of it comes back to them clean so it can be shipped home to his family. Their hearts were breaking as they did this, as mine did when I heard the story.
I know some of my readers know PFC Ludlam's family. They can be assured that my two friends are doing everything they can to respect his belongings and make sure they make it home.
Posted by: Sarah at
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I thank you for taking care of my brothers belongings.
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April 21, 2004
COINCIDENCE
My students had to write a short reaction to an article on anti-militarism in universities. The responses varied, as they would vary in any cross-section of the public, but does it seem like more than a coincidence that the only student to use the phrases "imperialistic government", "ducking the texas national guard", and "barbarian invaders" is the civilian who's already studied at a university in the US? I refrained from writing snide comments on his paper even though I could have torn his argument to shreds, and he still got the same grade as everyone else. But I certainly noticed the difference in tone.
Posted by: Sarah at
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Sarah,
There is no better quality to find in a person than Integrity.
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April 19, 2004
FRIEND
After reading this new
Amritas post, I just wanted to take a moment to publicly thank Marc Miyake for being such a good friend. Sunday in an email I mentioned that I was feeling rather down, and he called me to make sure I was doing OK. Some people I have known for years have not called or emailed me once since my husband left for Iraq, yet a virtual stranger loses sleep at night worrying about me. Not only is he insanely smart (the dude taught himself Japanese), but he's also extremely caring and a wonderful friend.
(And he'll probably kill me for broadcasting this...)
Posted by: Sarah at
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I understand. My son was deployed for seven months last year and will be returning this year. Some of my friends haven't called for months - yeah, they don't know what to say, but I treasure the folks who reach out even when they don't know what to say. It makes such a difference.
When the war started last year, I stayed in bed the first two weeks, LOL. It wasn't until a group of determined Marine Moms that I didn't know got in touch with me and got me back in the game, that I learned how to cope. It's still a learn-as-you-go, but I'm going.
E-mail if you ever need an ear - we're all in this together.
Deb
Posted by: Deb Conrad at April 19, 2004 09:27 PM (v4yy6)
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Sarah, reading your blog is comforting. I imagine writing it must be, too (at least sometimes). I'd like to take this opportunity to say "ditto" to what Deb said.
Take care.
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TOGETHER
I had a wonderful dream last night: somehow we spouses were taken to Iraq to visit our soldiers. It seemed more like a 10 minute prison visit than R&R -- dozens of couples standing around together just hugging and smiling -- but I was there with my arms tight around him laughing and talking. It was just about time to leave when my alarm went off, and I tried desperately to go back to sleep so I could see him one more time. But at least I didn't have to say goodbye again.
Posted by: Sarah at
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Bittersweet...
By the way, see
here for the solution to your Munuvian blogroll problems.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 19, 2004 06:19 AM (+S1Ft)
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I've had dreams like that...they can hurt. Hang in there! I'm prayin for you.
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April 16, 2004
JUDGE
I just got a phone call from a soldier who bet another soldier $20 that there was a grammar error in the
NCO Creed. They called me to be the judge. And they're not even my students; they're soldiers in other classes who know I work here.
Have I mentioned how much I love my job?
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Posted by: Jason at April 16, 2004 11:38 AM (rfgVv)
Posted by: Sarah at April 16, 2004 05:13 PM (ocYN3)
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Another mystery solved by the Grammar Goddess!
Um...what was the specific source of the bet--which part of the Creed?
Posted by: david at April 17, 2004 06:23 AM (s7Ho8)
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Actually, it was a really weird question. She had taken an English class and had been told (as many uptight English teachers will say) that you can't use the word
so in a formal paper (e.g. you shouldn't say "So I blah blah"), and then took that advice way too far. She thought you shouldn't use the word
so at all, and took issue with the part that says
conduct myself so as to bring credit upon the Corps. I told her that
so is part of the expression
so as to and was perfectly fine there. She then said that if she translated it into her native language (Spanish) it wouldn't work, and therefore she thought it was an error. I cautioned her against translating to decide if there's an English error and pointed out that although the creed is written in stick-up-butt English, it is in fact grammatically correct. She lost $20 on that one.
Posted by: Sarah at April 17, 2004 04:07 PM (YoQus)
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PRIORITIES
My friend wrote me an email and echoed Erik's sentiments in the comments
below; her father has Parkinson's, so stem cell research is close to her heart the way national security is to mine. But I did have a quick thought.
Den Beste is not personally affected by the war as a software engineer. Lileks has little chance of seeing an attack near Jasperwood. Amritas doesn't have any friends or family in the military. But all of these men, and countless other bloggers, rate the war on terror as the highest on their list. I've heard that numerous bloggers shifted hard to the Right after 9/11 only based on terrorism. None of their other views have changed, but for these folks -- most of whom don't have a husband who's sitting outside Najaf as we speak -- the war on terror trumps all other hands.
Yes, I have big issues with the current restrictions on stem cell research because I'd really like to see our medical technology move forward. But how can we as a country continue to move forward when an entire section of the globe is stuck in the fifteenth century and determined to convert us to their antediluvian ways? If we did ignore the Middle East and focused instead on new research, we might miss the fact that they were doing research of their own, that which leads them to nukes. A radical Muslim with a nuclear weapon is the most frightening thing I've ever imagined in my life, and I believe this war on terror is aimed at just that fear.
I'd love to focus more on the US and her internal problems. But to me right now that seems like trying to study for a test while someone keeps hitting you with spitwads. Sooner or later you're going to have to go over and deal with the nuisance before he graduates to a slingshot, and studying will have to wait until you can concentrate. I believe the terrorists will never give up or get bored or look for ways to improve their own health care system, so until their threat is abolished we must remain diligent.
That's not just the military wife in me talking.
Posted by: Sarah at
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Your spitwad analogy is apropos. "antidiluvian"-- You've been listening to that Donovan album, haven't you!?
Absolutely right. The bloggers you (and I) read are, I think, a notch above the rest in intellect and mental acuity. That's why we read them. I only hope the rest of the unwashed masses grok. (I used your word!) I'm not sure they do.
Posted by: Mike at April 16, 2004 07:54 AM (cFRpq)
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I don't know if it really is a question of intellect and mental acuity, so much as a willingness to reassess one's position. Some very bright people seem to just have a non-fact stuck in their head that they
cannot dislodge, and which skews their entire worldview.
Funny that the simple ability to realise you were wrong should turn out to be so rare.
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April 15, 2004
LESSON
Sometimes the simplest things can teach us the biggest lessons.
I had an extremely informative IM chat with an old friend this evening. She and I had never talked politics, but the phrase "I like Kerry" came up, so I decided to gently explore. What I found out was remarkable in its simplicity.
I'm surrounded by the military community, a segment of the population that intimately feels the burden of the war on terror. I spend all my free time reading blogs about terrorism, Iraq, or US foreign policy. I completely take it for granted that these are pressing issues that deserve immediate attention and steadfast determination.
Others don't.
When you're a regular 26 year old, working a good job in the Midwest, terrorism couldn't be further from your mind. The things that matter to you are often the more domestic social issues. Not the socialist junk like health care -- you've got good benefits -- but the role of a conservative government with respect to 21st century social issues.
I agree with my friend that I am concerned about the marriage amendment. I agree that I prefer less government control on issues like abortion. I agree that stem cell research is high on my list of beef with Republicans. As I listened to her reasons why she currently intends to vote Kerry over Bush, I could relate.
Except there's a war on.
I explained my view to her that, although the war affects me personally as a military wife, it also affects all of us as Americans. When there are radical Muslims out there who have sworn to kill Americans by any means necessary, all else must come secondary, in my opinion. "Stem cells and abortions won't matter when we're all anthraxed," I said. And she thoughtfully listened to me and said that I had given her important things to digest.
I hope we both learned a little from our exchange tonight; I certainly did. I realized that there are voters out there who don't see the war on terror as the pivotal issue; there are some people who don't care one way or the other whether the UN is with us in Iraq, because Iraq is not their top priority. She doesn't prefer Kerry because he's multilateral; she prefers him because his party represents certain social issues that she thinks are important. I can respect that. I don't even know how to counter it, because I agree with all of the things she said.
But I'd still like her to entertain the idea that terrorism, if left unchecked, could someday become a pressing issue in her own life in the Midwest.
MORE:
See above.
Posted by: Sarah at
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Hi,
Just wanted to respond to this thread. You make a great point, we're at war.
But for you, waiting for someone close to you to come home from Iraq, surrounded by others who are in the same boat, I can imagine that the "War on Terror" is close to home, near and dear to your heart.
Understand that the military represents such a small fraction of the country now (as opposed to WWII when we had 20 million men under arms) these issues are of course HUGE to you and military families.
Forgive the other millions of Americans who don't have kin in the fight who think there are other things to consider on election day.
Erik
Posted by: Erik at April 16, 2004 12:22 AM (Js59X)
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One could argue, as I do here
http://www.fightaging.org/archives/000020.php
that the current US administration has, through delaying stem cell medicine, become the cause of tens of millions of deaths in years to come - people in the yearly toll of 55 million deaths worldwide for whom medical advances came too late.
Even today, 2000 lives a day - a day! - are lost in the US alone to heart disease, a condition that human trials have shown to be cured using stem cell therapies with 80% effectiveness.
Terrorism is small potatoes compared to medical issues.
Posted by: Reason at April 16, 2004 12:25 AM (9UIZO)
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Small potatoes? SMALL POTATOES!?! Terrorism is the greatest challenge facing us today. We have the opportunity to stop the worst of it while it's still a manageable size - just.
As to 50 million deaths worldwide that could be prevented being more important, maybe we should factor in the living as well. For instance, I would rather live until I'm 55 in the U.S. surrounded by choices and advantages than live in Iraq or Syria until I'm 95 amidst the oppression, fear and total loss of freedom.
It's not small potatoes - more like comparing apples to oranges. ALL life is important - victims of terrorism and victims of heart disease. But victims of heart disease often bring on much of their illness through lifestyle choices. Victims of terror have no choice - someone else does. First things first. I agree wholeheartedly with you, Sarah, except I would probably have disagreed with your friend on several Democratic hard core issues.
We'll discuss tonight, have a great day!
Posted by: Oda Mae at April 16, 2004 02:00 AM (IgwHZ)
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well, being in a non-military family, I think about our military all the time. They are doing the work of us all. There is no issue that suprceeds the war. Laziness, self-centerednees and narrow vision may lead one to think the major issue of the day is the unemployement rate or parking availability.
Posted by: Jane at April 16, 2004 08:59 AM (rZmE1)
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My father died of Parkinson's; it is not a pretty picture. It is a good mind trapped in a body that stops working, it is gross. But in his opinion, and he did state it, it was not worth his life to sacrifice an innocent life. He was the father of 7 children, abortion was not an option. The really sad thing is that adult stem cell research is going to be much more beneficial to cure Parkinson's or anything else, than that harvested from embryonic cells. So far there has been a rather high incidence of cancer caused with the embryonic in some research. Sorry, my mind does not have the details on that, but what I have read is research on replacing cells in curing diabetes.
Posted by: Ruth H at April 16, 2004 04:06 PM (yZgeX)
6
Yes, small potatoes. Far and away the greatest threats to our lives are posed by disease and aging, not violence. The numbers speak for themselves in that respect.
Posted by: Reason at April 16, 2004 10:22 PM (9UIZO)
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April 11, 2004
R&R
The husband called this morning. He said that they had been talking about R&R before all the Fallujah stuff started. As the Platoon Leader, he had to rank his soldiers by who he thinks deserves R&R the most. He put himself at the bottom of the list.
I'm so proud of him.
Since most of his guys were also nine months in Kosovo last year, he thinks they all deserve it more than he does. He also said he's not sure how big of an effect this list will have anyway, since they've stopped all talk of R&R since Fallujah. I told him I was impressed by his integrity and that we'd take R&R if we could but I'll be proud of him if we can't.
I'm so lucky to be married to such a selfless soldier.
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April 09, 2004
SECONDHAND
No word from my husband, but I can assume he won't be calling for a while. His best friend emailed me to say that my husband signed for a lemon tank, so he was working as hard as he could to replace the broken track before they left. Best friend said he was sent to the email specifically by my husband to write me and tell me he loves me.
A secondhand love letter (riddled with soldier swear words) is better than nothing at all...
Best friend concluded with
But trust me...you have nothing to worry about...he's going to do a mission that you can be very proud of. It's a big one.
MORE TO GROK:
Spoke too soon; the husband just called. Ten minutes sure goes fast.
Posted by: Sarah at
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I've been down lately. First Fallujah, now the Japanese hostage situation, then Kos and Kathryn Cramer at home ... all of that has darkened my days. But at least for a moment, I feel like the clouds are parting and some sunshine is coming through. Your husband is the light. May he shine in his mission.
Posted by: Amritas at April 09, 2004 03:26 AM (u6S0x)
2
Strange that it gave me an instant smile to know you heard from Mr. Grok.
Praying for you both.
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April 08, 2004
OFFICIAL
Offical word came through this evening that my husband is in fact moving closer to the heat. I haven't heard from him personally, but he will be leaving sometime soon to move to an area "where he's needed". This move could be for anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months; my only hope is that wherever he goes, he's safe. And that maybe he gets to contact me somehow. As I joked with my father-in-law tonight, our communication system sure can't get any worse! Maybe his moving will have some advantages.
Hell, I can hope so, right?
I can't say I'm not worried -- he's my best friend and my whole life -- but all I can do is remind myself that he's smart and prepared. That thought gives me the confidence and fortitude I need to accept his new mission.
And if there's something I've learned from life, it's that there's always someone who has it worse.
Time to listen to I Won't Back Down again...
Posted by: Sarah at
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Girl, you are one brave person. I will spend a significant time today praying for you and your husband...may god protect him and keep him safe.
And may he bless and comfort you until you're together again.
Thank you for your courage and sacrifice. And, thank your good man, too.
Posted by: catzmeow at April 09, 2004 06:28 PM (j2vfb)
2
My heart has been so heavy the past few days. Our soldiers and their families have been in my thoughts and prayers on a pretty much constant basis. I just wish I could do more!
I feel like this is so significant that we should all be making huge sacrifices to see it through. Sounds silly, but I'd feel better if we were feeling it on the home front more - rationing or something! Sometimes I feel guilty that my Arabic-speaking ex-reservist hubbie didn't re-up several years ago; his old unit is in Baghdad now.
Thanks again for your sacrifices and determination to stand strong. You all are in my prayers.
(Beth looked like spam, so I posted this for her.)
Posted by: Beth at April 12, 2004 02:13 AM (byQeW)
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FRIEND
They're talking about shuffling troops around in Iraq, moving people where they're needed during this volatile week. My husband is located in a relatively safe section of Iraq; his main concern so far has been how to get supplies to the neighboring Iraqis. I have a feeling he won't be in that area for long when he's needed elsewhere.
After reading the news yesterday night, I awoke this morning to a feeling of anxiety. No phone call in the middle of the night. No email. Nothing telling me what's going on in my husband's company. I couldn't even read blogs; after half an hour I just shut it down and went back to bed. And when I felt like I couldn't stand it anymore, I knew what I wanted to do.
I wanted to call a friend.
My definition of friend has changed tremendously since last year. I've really reflected on who I want to share my life with, and I've narrowed the list of people I'd approach in a crisis. Here on post, there's a feeling of walking on tiptoes, not wanting to stress anyone out more than they are already. No one wants to hear my problems, because they are all looking for ways to deal with their own. And as much as I trust my favorite friend here on post, her husband is on rear detachment, so it's sometimes hard for her to relate.
So I called Tim.
He talked about the agony of being so near the finish line and seeing the goalpost move. I talked about the agony of uncertainty, of not knowing where my husband is or what he may be doing. We just talked, venting our frustrations for a few minutes, as friends do.
And I feel a whole lot better.
Posted by: Sarah at
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Days like this one will come and go. You've got a pretty good support system, so don't feel bad about using them.
Posted by: Mike at April 08, 2004 07:50 AM (cFRpq)
2
I bet Tim appreciated it too.
After reading his blog today it's good to know he has a friend like you to talk to.
Posted by: Machelle at April 08, 2004 09:18 AM (W/eGG)
3
I know what you mean. I know my list of friends is very short when I can't think of who it is I'd want to be with me if anything ever happens to Nerdstar.
That so sucks about Tim's wife. I heard about the extended deployment late tonight. I haven't heard about the reshuffling yet.
Posted by: Beth at April 09, 2004 01:37 AM (mqI8M)
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April 07, 2004
BEAT
Twelve Marines are dead, and
this is what I read:
[Coalition spokeswoman Paola] Della Casa said the Iraqi attackers used civilians as human shields, and a woman and two children were among the dead.
I've always tried to maintain my resolve throughout this war. When other wives say that they wish we could just nuke Iraq into a parking lot and bring our husbands home, I always tried to remember that what my husband is doing there is necessary for the future of the Middle East. I've maintained my optimism and idealism, even saying "Our soldiers are lucky to be part of something so monumental in history. When the puzzle is complete, all their work will make sense, and a beautiful new Iraq will emerge from the pieces."
But today I'm not so resolved. We're fighting to save a country from itself. As Victor Davis Hanson said Sunday, "Are the citizens of Fallujah the victims of Saddam, or did folk like this find their natural identity expressed in Saddam?" I'm starting to wonder about that myself.
Posted by: Sarah at
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I know.
But...
I've seen Barefoot Gen, the tale of a boy growing up in Hiroshima in 1945.
It's hard. We have to fight, and we have to fight our way. Otherwise we will lose part of what we are. But every death hurts, the more so now that I know, even indirectly, some of the people serving in Iraq.
If I was religious, I would pray for them every day. But I'm not, so I will support them in every other way I can find.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 07, 2004 02:25 PM (+S1Ft)
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April 06, 2004
CALL
I finally got a call from the husband last night. At 1240, which is 0240 in Iraq. This is the only time he could find in his day to call me, which makes me feel a little crazy. Apparently, the commander has said that no one is allowed to go to the phones unless they all go together, which would mean a group of 18 driving over to use four phones. None of them have five hours to kill waiting in line with each other, so they never get to go. The husband could technically go since he's the LT, but he doesn't go if his soldiers aren't allowed, which is the reason why 15 days passed between his phone calls. I'm really disappointed that they have this rule there, not for myself but for him; he sounded really beat down. When I asked him how he was doing, he said, "I'd be doing better if I could talk to you more often." I think soldiers need contact with their families as a way to unwind and vent, and I'm disappointed that his company is being denied phone use. But they are moving to another camp in the next two weeks, so when the phones are right there instead of three kilometers away, perhaps the rules will change a little. I hope so; that was the worst I've heard him so far.
Posted by: Sarah at
03:16 AM
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[fantasymode=on]
Dear Congressman,
Morale of my Iraq-deployed husband's company is being negatively impacted in a most unusual way. A policy has been announced that requires either all members of the company to stand in line together to wait for telephone access or none of them are allowed telephone access.
Two questions:
Is this policy being considered for Iraq-wide implementation? What is the expected affect of denying familial communications on re-enlistments?
Thank you.
[fantasymode=off]
Yeah, I know. Rocking boats.
Posted by: homebru at April 06, 2004 12:57 PM (RfCMb)
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I meant to ping you yesterday to say that I posted on this on my own blog (no trackback in the land of Blogspot). Here is the link to my post (text follows): http://serenade.splinder.it/1081244532#1783541
"This post of Sarah's really touched me. She had to wait 15 days between calls from her husband, who is deployed in Iraq. I spend a fair amount of time away from my girlfriend, as I live in London and she is at university in Milan - but we exchange SMS messages, instant messages and telephone calls several times a day. Maybe it's just a ping, a 30-second conversation just to say hi and hear the other's voice, maybe it's a long conversation that has to take the place of curling up together on the couch (yes, my phone bill is horrific - why do you ask?), but I don't miss her nearly as much because she is almost within reach. Having to go for 15 days without talking to her would have me tearing my hair out.
I am in awe of Sarah and her husband. I wish him well, a man I will probably never meet, but to whom I owe a lot, and I hope that he knows that at least some of us behind the lines are very grateul for what he is doing."
Posted by: Dominic at April 07, 2004 07:06 AM (0h0BM)
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April 05, 2004
GROWTH
I'm growing as a person.
When another dissenting reader first used to come around here and leave comments, it used to make me so mad. I would absolutely fume at home, complaining to my husband that I wished this guy would leave me alone and that I really thought he was wrong, but didn't know how to counter him. I would lie in bed thinking about it, wondering what I could say, and I would be overcome with anger and worry.
I resolved on New Year's to learn to be bemused. So far I think I've been doing a great job of reaching my goal; at least now I don't let things affect me so much to where I can't sleep at night.
Look, the title of my blog is trying to grok. Trying. I would never be one to say that I've got the world all figured out, or that my way of thinking is the only one. I'm open for suggestion. But there's a difference between suggestion and beating someone over the head until they give in. There's a difference between Joshua coming here to have a healthy debate about Israel/Palestine and someone coming here to insult me on three different comment threads.
And, I'm sorry, but the idea that my disgust with vandals who care more about putting Bush down than respecting a historic monument would dishonor my husband makes me laugh instead of fret. Laugh. I'm at the point where I can laugh at this stuff, which means I've done a whole lot of personal growing since I started this blog.
Deal with this: I'm bemused.
Posted by: Sarah at
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The best way to deal with people like that? Facts, logic, and where possible, sarcasm.
As an example, the poster that responded to your vandalism post brought up the klan and linked it to conservatives. A quick check of facts shows that of the 2 parties, liberal have the only known former klansman in their senate ranks. Which logically shows the liberals are far more likely to support klansmen.
Posted by: LastStand at April 05, 2004 11:54 AM (u3SC/)
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"Far more likely"? The presence of one does not condemn the whole. That's like saying that a single Republican like, say, Trent Lott "proves" conservatives are "far more" (fill-in-the-blank). Besides, Democrats do not support Byrd *as a Klansman*. Byrd is not even a Klansman anymore. Democrats can explain their support for him by saying that he's reformed and then pick out Republicans with shady pasts.
I think it would be more accurate to say that the KKK today is so distant from either party that dragging it into discussions like these is irrelevant.
It'd be best to stick to what Sarah actually said (and DIDN'T say) when defending it from an onslaught of straw men.
Posted by: Amritas at April 05, 2004 01:09 PM (AC3YM)
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Of course we should be completely outraged at the vandals... that was a despicable act.
I was outraged at how you used that dispicable act to paint a broad brush over anyone who leans left.
You started out the "Vandal" post by claiming that many on the left are insincere on their support of the troops... and because of this, "you were not surprised" that vandals desecrated a memorial to veterans...
Quote: "I've come to expect this from the left."
My outrage is over:
(1) the despicable act of the vandals
(2) pseudo-patriotic right wingers who use said despicable acts to incriminate anyone on the left who disagrees... which is what you did.
Posted by: jab at April 05, 2004 01:53 PM (pMjZc)
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I looked back over my comments in the three threads... two were respectful dissent...
only in the "Vandal" post did I insult you.
Was I wrong: yes... did I let my emotions get the best of me: yes...
So, I apologize. I should not have said you dishonored the service of your husband. That was over-the-top.
Posted by: jab at April 05, 2004 01:58 PM (pMjZc)
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Jab, I'm not sure how long you've been reading this blog, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now. But Sarah isn't using one despicable act to "paint a broad brush over anyone who leans left." As she says in the first line of her post ("I've said before..."), Sarah is pointing out one in a string of acts/incidents that leads her to believe that many on the Left use the platitude of "supporting our troops" to cover themselves when making outrageous statements. She is not seizing on a singular incident in order to give lefties a bad name, she is noting a trend among those on the left who use the "Support Our Troops claim."
But you might not notice that if you haven't been here for long, or if you haven't taken the time to do a little research into the blogger you're criticizing--research that would show you that Sarah is a thoughtful person who doesn't make such statements lightly or without backing up what she has to say.
Posted by: Carla at April 05, 2004 02:06 PM (r5M6F)
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Carla,
You seem to be doing the same thing.
This is the gist of the "Vandal" thread
as well as your reply:
CLAIM: The Left is insincere in their
proclamations of "Support the Troops."
It is a cover for outrageous statements/behaviors.
PROOF: Vandals desecrated a war memorial.
I don't see how one could read this any other way. Sarah herself linked the people who say "Support our troops" with the "vandals"...
I was insulted... those vandals are despicable,
I myself have family in the military... but those vandals are no where near representative of those of us on the left who oppose Bush's policy towards Iraq. I resent even being lumped together in the same post with them.
It would be equivalent to me writing a post where I start off making some generalities of the right's opposition to abortion... saying that i thought they are insincere in their proclamations that really do care about women facing an unwanted pregnancy... then I segue into
an incident where some extremist wacko guns down an abortion doctor... I then say, that "I'm not surprised" and that "I've come to expect it from the Right."
Of course, those who have sincere heart-felt beliefs about the wrongness of abortion and the sanctity of life should be insulted and outraged that I made the casual link between an extremist wacko and people with honest disagreements over policy.
THAT is how I read her post. In my opinion, Sarah could have expressed her disgust, shock and outrage over the vandal incident without making the casual link to those on the left who say "support our troops"...
Posted by: jab at April 05, 2004 02:27 PM (pMjZc)
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Jab, you need to get out more.
There is a huge and very vocal part of the Left that acts exactly the way Sarah said.
If you don't act that way, and don't agree with them, that's good. You're part of the Sane Left. But the Moonbat Left is, if not larger, at least a lot more visible than the Sane Left.
It happens. It's not a rare and appalling incident as your example would be; it's a constant stream of events. From the Left. That we have come to expect
because it keeps happening.
So target your resentment at the moonbats who are destroying the entire left wing of politics all over the world, not at Sarah.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 05, 2004 11:27 PM (+S1Ft)
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Pixy,
Sorry, but no.
The vast, vast majority of us on the liberal end of the spectrum do not condone such dispicable acts. Last time I checked, Bush and Kerry are virtually tied... there may be at most a few percent who are extremists... they are grossly outnumbered, but because they are so outrageous, they make the news... and it certainly doesn't help with the right-wing echo chamber of Rush, Hannity, Savage, and the rest of that ilk, trumpeting every horrible act in an effort to specifically demonize the left... don't get me wrong, said despicable acts should be denouncec by all sides... but I'm getting pretty d*mn sick of how the right are using these events to tar the entire left and stifle dissent.
So, no... I will not back down on this...
I encourage more people to denounce such despicable acts, but I will vehemently, vigorously, unceasingly also denounce any attempt to paint the entire left by the actions of very tiny, but very vocal minority.
Posted by: jab at April 06, 2004 04:02 AM (pMjZc)
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d*mn sick of how the right are using these events to tar the entire left and stifle dissent
Sorry, what planet did you say you were from?
Who exactly is stifling dissent? Try leaving a dissenting comment on a right-leaning bulletin board and on a left-leaning one. See how long they stay there.
The left actively censors dissenting voices. The right argues with them. Big difference, jab.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 06, 2004 06:40 AM (+S1Ft)
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"to tar the entire left"
"resent even being lumped together"
"paint a broad brush over anyone"
I see Jab has still refused to read what Sarah wrote. Those 3 quotes are the only ones in all these threads lumping everyone on the left together in the same box.
Sarah did not say at anytime ALL on the left, she said "many on the Left". Another quote, "A lot of people", now to me, that is not ALL people, that is a lot of people, meaning more than one, less than all.
Jab is trolling with strawmen. No where does he acknowledge that Sarah has never catagorized everyone on the left as being identical. Instead he gets his panties in a wad, rather than realizing that if he does not engage in the behavior that Sarah is denouncing, he is not one of the people she is talking about.
The only reason he would have to take offense is if he engaged in the type of behavior described.
Troll.
Posted by: Blueshift at April 07, 2004 04:55 AM (crTpS)
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Blueshift,
"The only reason he would have to take offense is if he engaged in the type of behavior described."
I think that's going too far - and yet not far enough. Why? Because those who took offense need not be "engaged in the type of behavior described." Perhaps they *admire* those who are engaged, or wish they could *be* them.
Leftists who vandalize are a tiny minority in this country. Those who take offense at criticism of the vandals outnumber the vandals. Only a few "dare" to "dissent"; many more sympathize with them.
Posted by: Amritas at April 07, 2004 08:19 AM (oqQZK)
Posted by: Blueshift at April 07, 2004 08:56 AM (crTpS)
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April 04, 2004
CLASH
Last night I went to see The Passion of Christ.
This morning I'm going to the circus.
If there's any bigger clash in activities, I don't know what it is.
Posted by: Sarah at
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