Some good Batman links, via Powerline:
FINALLY Hollywood makes a film that says President George W Bush was right
No Joke: The Dark Knight, Reviewed

Posted by: Sarah at 11:54 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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When I was visiting my grandparents, my dad's brothers were going on and on about Bruce Dern. I think it's funny when my dad's brothers get a hair up their butts about something. So one uncle lent me The Cowboys to watch. Best John Wayne movie I've ever seen. And my uncles were right: Bruce Dern is the Ultimate Bad Guy. Heaven help the boy who encounters Bruce Dern.

I couldn't help but think about the responsibilities and rewards given to these boys. They were all 12-15 years old and were gone from home all summer to drive cattle 400 miles. How many parents let their sons go four miles from their house these days without knowing exactly where they are? Heck, the first thing John Wayne did to test their courage was to make them all ride an untamed bucking horse. Imagine sending your 13-year-old son off for summer work with your family's best horse and pistol.

I also couldn't help but imagine my uncles watching this movie. They all would've been a little younger than the boys on the cattle drive when the movie came out. I wonder how it shaped them. Goodness knows their family followed the John Wayne School of Parenting.

A long trailer to the movie can be found here. Highly recommended.

Posted by: Sarah at 04:14 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Finished.

After two more hours last night and another hour this morning, it's done. And either I'm the worst crocheter in the world, or something was off on that pattern. I specifically chose it because it sounded quick: 126 rows, piece of cake. I had to actually crochet an extra 50 rows just to get the length right. Not as quick as I'd hoped.

But done.

Posted by: Sarah at 06:58 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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1 It looks great! You do fantastic work, even if it wasn't quite so cake-like.

Posted by: Stephanie at August 01, 2008 07:41 AM (hooJk)

2 Sarah - Its gorgeous

Posted by: keri at August 01, 2008 10:26 AM (HXpRG)

3 Maybe it was a gauge difference? Like you had a smaller gauge so it took longer than you thought it would? Oh, I also scrolled down to an early July post and saw how you had the yarn in separate bags. That's a great idea, I'm never that organized with multiple colours anyway, however long it took, it looks great.

Posted by: Denise at August 01, 2008 01:29 PM (vEC+I)

4 Denise -- Yeah, what I mean is that something was fishy with the gauge. I hit the width spot on, but the height was way off. 4 inches should've been 10 sc + 11 rows, but for me it was 10 sc + 15 rows. I didn't know you could hit the width so perfectly and be SO FAR off the height.

Posted by: Sarah at August 01, 2008 01:36 PM (TWet1)

5 Beautiful!

Posted by: A Soldier's Wife at August 01, 2008 03:59 PM (jA2RX)

6 That looks lovely! What a wonderful gift.

Posted by: Guard Wife at August 02, 2008 11:49 AM (F5iCn)

7 That is strange. Maybe the pattern meant it to be double-stitch or something, but was written wrong. Yay for finishing, though, regardless. Afghans take forever sometimes.

Posted by: Emily at August 04, 2008 09:06 AM (jAos7)

8 That's happened to me before where my gauge was fine going across but was off on rows, but that was in knitting. I don't even measure gauge on rows, I just measure length now. Anyways, the afghan looks great!

Posted by: Tania at August 05, 2008 10:28 AM (KfVPZ)

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Good Jonah Goldberg:

Any number of countries in Africa are vastly richer in baubles and soil than Switzerland. But they are poor because they are impoverished in what they value.

In large measure our wealth isn't the product of capitalism, it is capitalism.

Good Victor Davis Hanson. No dog food for you tonight, Victor. (Gosh, how many Futurama jokes can I make in one day?!):

Instead of a strutting, Bible-quoting Texan, replete with southern accent and ‘smoke-em’ out lingo, they get an athletic, young, JFK-ish metrosexual, whose rhetoric is as empty as it is soothing. The English-only Obama lectures America on its need to emulate polyglot Europe; while a Spanish-speaking George Bush is hopelessly cast as a Texas yokel.

(Links via CG)

Posted by: Sarah at 05:00 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Went back to the eye doctor. I am stuck where I'm at for now; we can't do another Lasik correction until we're certain that this is where my eyes have leveled off, so I have to wait a month and see. Also, I have blocked tear ducts so, to quote the doctor, they should be oozing Wesson oil and instead are blocked with Crisco. Gross. He was doing everything he could to unblock them and make me cry, including digging his fingernail into the base of my eye until I saw stars. It made me giggle on the inside because I felt like Fry on "My Three Suns," when they have to make him cry the emperor out. Good thing the doctor didn't start beating me up or telling me my husband was murdered in a juicer. Heh.

Posted by: Sarah at 04:36 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 It's like the doctor doesn't know you at all. He should have told you that he snuck into your house while you were visiting people last month and set your thermostat at 68 for the whole time. That might have got you crying.

Posted by: airforcewife at August 01, 2008 04:42 AM (mIbWn)

2 Bwahahahahaha!!! Or told me he set my yarn on fire.

Posted by: Sarah at August 01, 2008 04:51 AM (TWet1)

3 OMGoodness - I am so sorry to hear that your eyes (officially) weren't so thrilled with the first round of Lasik... I hope they either get magically better, or level off and happily accept the next correction! You're *still* in our thoughts & prayers! :-)

Posted by: kannie at August 01, 2008 06:51 AM (f+LJo)

4 My suggestion - He should've told you he ripped out 10 or 20 rows of that wedding afghan. :-p

Posted by: loquita at August 01, 2008 07:27 AM (kZVsz)

5 Loqi -- HA! You guys are coming up with good ones!

Posted by: Sarah at August 01, 2008 07:35 AM (TWet1)

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How hilarious is this? (Via CG)
Al Gore Places Infant Son In Rocket To Escape Dying Planet

Posted by: Sarah at 03:46 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Well, I put in a seven-hour workday today. I started crocheting on the wedding afghan at 9 AM, stopping only for lunch and the occasional email. Seven hours and a ton of blurry TV later, I've completed 25 rows. That's eight inches. Man, I kinda figured I'd knock this thing out today, but I still have another four or five inches to go.

That's enough, people. No more weddings or babies for the rest of the year. I can't handle any more of this race-against-the-clock knitting.

Posted by: Sarah at 11:34 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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For weeks, people have been asking what happens next fertility-wise. Well, I'm still technically pregnant from the last baby. My levels plummeted and then plateaued; the nurse said she's never seen anyone's levels stay the same from one week to the next. And we all know there's no way I could be pregnant again, so I have no idea what's happening or how to make it stop. I can't make any appointments with the fertility clinic until the levels get back to zero. So I'm stuck in teeny-tiny-bit-pregnant limbo for now.

Posted by: Sarah at 06:06 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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It seemed like such a nothing choice, putting that Ray of Light CD in the player. I haven't listened to it in nearly ten years.

It wasn't a nothing choice. I am unable to do anything now but sit immobilized with my thoughts.

This CD takes me back to France. And not in a good way. That year of my life, I wish I could erase it. It is such a deep wound. I spent eight years loving France and waiting to get there, and then I hated it once I was there. After a horrible month of bad experiences with my host family, worse experiences with teachers, and being chased by a pervert until I had to climb under a car to hide from him, I turned numb to France, pretending I wasn't there. I got into a hurtful and bad romantic relationship with another exchange student instead. The year culminated with my near-death. And anything that reminds me of that year makes me sick.

*****

That's how I started a post yesterday. I never finished it because, coincidentally, a friend from that year in France called me while I was writing it.

The post sat as it was; the bad feelings lingered to today.

I remember thinking it was cute that The Girl wrote a post just to remind herself of a day when she was feeling fine. This is my post to document a day when I'm not doing well.

Yeah, it's 0100 and I'm still awake.

It was that France stuff hanging over me today. Thinking about how crappy the year was, what bad choices I made with my life, and how awful I feel in the pit of my stomach whenever I think about it.

But mostly today it was the eyes. I feel like they're getting worse instead of better. I'm back to hating my body. I'm back to feeling the unfairness of having a body that won't accept a baby and eyes that won't accept Lasik. I am discouraged.

And I'm reading a book for a SpouseBUZZ review. I read the entire second half of the book tonight, two hours of feverish reading. It took me right back to the last deployment. It included names that I'll never forget: Kenny, Iwan, Khan, Falkenburg, Sims. (And just now, in looking up how to spell "Falkenburg," I couldn't avoid three names that brought the tears: Prewitt, Rosales, and Becker.)

So here I am, at 0100, not having such a good day.

And I just thought I ought to document it.

Posted by: Sarah at 08:20 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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There is no wrong way to knit. The only rule is to not drop a stitch or do something that will cause the knittery (thanks for the term, CaliValleyDude) to unravel. How you hold the sticks, where you hold the yarn, all of this is irrelevant. I rest my needles on my thighs and move the left one around the right; I think the only other people in the world who do that are the people who learned knitting from me. Which is actually quite a few people, I am happy to say.

I've heard stories from people who've gone into highbrow knitting stores and the ladies there want them to change the way they hold everything. That makes me mad. There's no wrong way to do it.

(This post prompted by this post.)

The only wrong way to knit is to take on making two wedding afghans a month before the weddings. And realizing that you now have a week to finish the remaining thirds of both of them.

Posted by: Sarah at 07:34 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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My husband and I went on a cruise the last time he returned from Iraq. We hated it. Between the awkward mingling with civilians and the Scattergories game from hell, it just really wasn't for us.

But the husband sent me a link today, noting that this cruise might be a bit more up our alley. I swear, when I read the first five names, my heart skipped a beat. Can you imagine getting those guys on a boat? It'd be like stalking Instapundit in Vegas, only there'd be nowhere they could escape from me! Muhwahaha.

No, seriously, I want that cruise. And I don't care one iota about the itinerary; we could circle Lake Michigan for five days for all I care. Hubs, someday can we take a nutjob cruise?

Posted by: Sarah at 10:58 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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In order to keep my eyeballs off the computer screen, I have been listening to Hugh Hewitt clips. But that's a bad idea because it just makes me come up with stuff I want to blog about.

I was listening to Dean Barnett and James Lileks talk about Obama's "citizen of the world" line.

I now puff my chest up and say that I was at the vanguard of this line of thought, having blogged about it two and a half years ago. (And getting exactly zero comments on the post, she adds, lest you think she really does hold herself in such esteem.)

Some commenter said yesterday that America's far left is Europe's moderate. I thought of that today in passing while reading Broca's Brain. I think people look at the world quite differently depending on how they classify themselves. If you think of yourself as an American, you see the world differently than if you think of yourself as a Global Citizen, as it seems most Europeans do. And if you think of yourself as a citizen of the universe, as Sagan does, you look at issues completely differently. Thus when Sagan talks of global warming, he thinks all humans should work together to prevent Earth's habitat from being like Mars. When an American talks about it, he typically thinks about what is best for the US first. I think the label you give yourself says a lot about how you deal with The Issues.

I agree with Lileks that when Obama calls himself "a proud citizen of the United States, and a fellow citizen of the world," the emphasis is on the latter. And that it lacks any real sort of meaning and downplays his Americanness.

Really, there's nothing that turns me off quite as fast as when someone downplays his Americanness.

I am not a Citizen of the World. I live on this planet, but I am an American citizen. I don't really recognize this entity that Obama calls "the world," some sort of collective of human beings who all want the same things: peace, love, and kumbaya. I don't think that exists. I believe that human life patterns the Animal Planet channel, where each species vies for position and does what it takes to stay alive and get ahead. We accept that in the animal kingdom, but for some reason we think humans should all want to share and be humble. I wish we could accurately see human beings the way we accurately see marine life during Shark Week.

I am thankful to be a citizen of the greatest country on this planet. I wish Obama were too, instead of relegating it to second fiddle behind meaningless "We Are the World" tripe.

Posted by: Sarah at 06:01 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 This is where we completely disagree. I am a citizen of the world, and very fortunate to be an American citizen, too. And even MORE fortunate to be a Southerner. Now get away from your computer screen!

Posted by: Sis B at July 28, 2008 07:36 AM (/2ehL)

2 I will also respectfully disagree. When I say I am a citizen of the world that does not mean it plays down my pride for being an American. What it means for me is that I enjoy visiting other countries, and the way I like to do that is to immerse myself and/or embrace the culture as much as I can. I want to know the people and the country as more than just a tourist who stays in luxury resorts (although that is QUITE nice on occassion). I also regard people's rights to live and practice their religion in a way they see fit as long as it doesn't harm other people. Now, that's obviously a very general statement so don't jump on it. Its a simple sentence for a complicated idea. The part about religion is where my husband and I disagree intensely and its just a conversation we can't have. That doesn't mean that I don't regard people for what they are or countries for that they are. I tend to agree with the realist theory of international politics - every state does what is in it's own best interest. We will never see a time without conflict. We will never see a megapower, in other words, one organization or person leading the countries of the world. And frankly I don't want to see that. Its hard enough to keep Americans happy, God knows what it would take to keep every nation in the world happy. Maybe this is an argument of semantics or different understandings of a pretty general phrase.

Posted by: Sara at July 28, 2008 09:24 AM (SZeN8)

3 Sara, I think maybe we are reading the phrase differently. I am not sure I understand at all what you mean about religion, because it seems to me that you are expecting me to be intolerant of various religions, a vibe I really don't think I've given off anywhere on this blog. But as to the other point, I have lived in three different countries, speak two other languages (including the one Obama says we have to speak in order not to be boorish), etc, but that's not what I thought he meant. I thought he was appealing to a Global Community that needs to Work Together for Hope and Change. As in some sort of body of communal values and ideals that the whole world shares. I personally don't think that exists. And Sis B, you are just a hippie. HAHAHA.

Posted by: Sarah at July 28, 2008 10:44 AM (TWet1)

4 Sarah, First, I never insinutate or accuse. If I was ever thinking you were religiously intolerant I would have come out and said so. Or likely, since that is rude, counter productive and a bit hypocritical in and of itself I would have said nothing. Big believer in "if you don't have something nice to say". I was merely giving my top general ideas of what I believe to define that phrase. I also made the point to say "in a way they see fit as long as it doesn't harm other people" because of extrmists who are ruining their own countries and would love to destroy others. As to your second comment, I believe I addressed that in saying that I believe in the Realist Theory. I assume you know what I was referring to, but if not let me know and I will explain farther. Maybe I should have been more clear with saying directly that I am in agreement with you that such a compromise or as you said " As in some sort of body of communal values and ideals that the whole world shares. I personally don't think that exists." I agree. So there. None of that was accusations, and yes, I know that like me you've lived around the world and speak different languages. It is also a passion of mine. I certainly wasn't belittling you or calling you simple. Just explaining my point of view. As far as Obama goes, which was your point afterall, I believe he might be trying to only clear up many a conservative's fear that he would ignore international relations in the same way Clinton did. I know that my father definitely thinks as much. I think his concern is not for a Global Community to get together and work together, but to try and restore trust in America and improve international relations. Any president would be wise to try and at least attain more allies to face a common enemy. It is my guess that that's the point he's trying to make. Although, in my opinion and world tour is a bit presumptuous. It has put a bit of a sour taste in my mouth much the way Hillary assuming she'd get the nomination did. At this time, it is about convincing Americans he is the right man for the job, not the rest of the world.

Posted by: Sara at July 28, 2008 11:39 AM (SZeN8)

5 I just wanted to say that I really like the analogy of human life patterning the Animal Planet channel. I have thought something to that effect for a while now, and it seems a little strange to me that some people believe that all humans have some innate selflessness that makes them want to work for the benefit of the entire world, whether or not it benefits their own species/nationality/tribe, etc. I think that on the whole, humans tend to be fairly selfish creatures, and it will be eternally impossible to convince them all to work for the good of the world when it means giving up their own personal/national goals and comforts. I think that believing in the possibility of a united world of peace and harmony is about as realistic as believing in the tooth fairy. That said, I agree with Sara's last 2 paragraphs in her comment above. I think he's trying to say that he cares about diplomacy, etc., but I really don't think that this was the right time to do it, or the right way. It just makes him look (a) cocky and presumptive, as if he's already won, (b) as if his priorities are in the wrong order and he cares more about the international community than America, and (c) it does sort of give the impression that he's running for Europe's vote as much as for our own. That adds to the presumption bit, and makes me just the slightest bit uncomfortable as to his aspirations for leadership. In another day and age, Obama's vast ambition might have made him an imperialist or a dictator. In this day and age, he's a globalist.

Posted by: Emily at July 29, 2008 08:23 AM (jAos7)

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Oh, and I think it's cute that all of you are saying, "But you didn't call meeee." I said non-internet friends, sillies. Also, AWTM, you are PCSing like tomorrow, and, Guard Wife, you are taking the freaking bar exam this week, so I'm not gonna call either of you and waste your time with stories of how my eyes are too blurry to watch an episode of The Dead Zone.

But I did watch Friday's episode of The Soup, and I was laughing so hard I was pounding the coffee table with my fist. I wonder if there's laughing gas in the eye drops I'm taking...

Oh yeah, and my face is still sticky. My hair keeps sticking to my cheeks and forehead, which is not pleasant. I even considered putting Goo Gone on it, but the bottle said to avoid prolonged exposure with your skin.

Vision-wise, I see about the same as I did yesterday.

Posted by: Sarah at 08:40 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 Random idea for the face stickies - try an exfoliating face scrub with little pieces of stuff in it? I love this stuff: http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=161978&catid=79350&brand=8217&trx=PLST-0-BRAND&trxp1=79350&trxp2=161978&trxp3=1&trxp4=0&btrx=BUY-PLST-0-BRAND&cmbProdBrandFilter=8217

Posted by: loquita at July 27, 2008 08:50 AM (X0NT2)

2 Did you try mineral oil or baby oil? That works on a lot of sticky stuff. Good luck!

Posted by: HChambers at July 27, 2008 10:59 AM (++roz)

3 OMG, I was TOTALLY thinking of "Goo Gone" when you first explained this sticky mess, but decided if you used it, sticky face would be the LEAST of your problems. I'm taking the bar exam this week!? Crap. I KNEW there was something I was forgetting. Thanks for reminding me. Heh.

Posted by: Guard Wife at July 27, 2008 04:09 PM (ccp31)

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You know what you can do with only 20/30 vision? Housework. Bleh.
Scrubbing, sweeping, mopping...so far I've found that none of those take perfect vision.
Just my luck.

Posted by: Sarah at 06:40 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Lots of laughter today. Lots.
And I haven't laughed at The Daily Show in years, but this recent clip had me in stitches.
No low blows, no gratuitous Bush jokes, just good comedy.

Posted by: Sarah at 01:55 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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So the bio of Benjamin Franklin I've been listening to? Yeah, that's not a sustainable activity. FbL had a good alternate suggestion: listen to stand-up on youtube. I ended up on the most hilarious thing, Dennis Miller interviewing Dana Carvey. The Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart thing was priceless.

P.S.

Sarah Silverman just has the most perfect delivery. I can't listen to any more of her because I can't not watch her. Her face, it is delightful as she makes jokes.

Posted by: Sarah at 08:01 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I have to wear metal eye protectors to sleep in. I told my husband they make me look like Spiderman. Just in case he didn't truly believe me...

Incidentally, I took eight of these pictures of myself lying in bed, hoping that one of them would be decent. So today when I was picking out which one to put on the blog, I felt like I was back in the eye doctor's office: Which is better, #1 or #2?

Also, notice that they have to be taped to my face. I cannot for the life of me get the sticky residue off; I've tried soap, exfoliator, and even rubbing alcohol. I am certain that by the end of the week, I will have two tape lines of pimples in an X on my face. Lovely.

So, yesterday was not so great. My friend and I decided that we did this all backwards: we hung out this week and culminated with the surgery, but we should've started with the surgery and then hung out, since I can't do anything but sit. Because my vision is blurry, I can't watch TV and I really ought to limit my computer time (so hard for me). Did I mention that I can't watch TV? Yesterday I sat alone listening to a book on tape. Lame.

Today my vision seems a little better, which is reassuring. But just in the hour I've been on the computer, I swear it's gotten worse, so I'm going to get offline now. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself all day. One thing I can do is gab on the phone, so I think I might catch up with old friends. Like non-internet friends. Yeah, I still have a couple of 'em.

UPDATE:

I just called six people and none of them answered. Lame.

Posted by: Sarah at 04:57 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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1 Sarah, I had Lasik myself a few years ago. I know it is frustrating right now, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that it works out well for you. Take care

Posted by: jck at July 26, 2008 07:58 AM (d6k/G)

2 Ahh, Lasik porn for the hubby;D

Posted by: Ruth H at July 26, 2008 08:00 AM (zlUde)

3 Sarah....Try some skin so soft, from Avon, to take off the tape residue....

Posted by: Debey at July 26, 2008 09:24 AM (NP11N)

4 you did not call me... There is always a lot of racket on my end of the phone... I could have taken you on a virtual phone zoo tour! this is a Tabir, they look like a big anteater...

Posted by: awtm at July 26, 2008 05:10 PM (5A+rY)

5 Hang in there girl. It's not instant gratification; but, delayed gratification is sometimes better. It took me a few days to really be sure I had done the right thing. It gets better.

Posted by: Pamela at July 26, 2008 08:21 PM (s34Jo)

6 Um. I checked my phone. I don't see that I've missed any calls from you. On the good side, though, I think that means *I'm* not lame. I'd forgotten those sexy, protective goggles. Mine had a strap, though, so I didn't have to tape them to my face. You absolutely MUST knit a ski mask with those in the eyeballs & fashion your Halloween costume around the mask.

Posted by: Guard Wife at July 27, 2008 07:59 AM (ccp31)

7 Yay! Interesting.

Posted by: jiimionad at August 14, 2008 06:15 AM (RPWsr)

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Lileks goes to eleven today.

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CVG sent me an article that she knew I'd like: What Bush and Batman Have in Common

The funny thing is that my husband and I only pay money to go to the theater to see the very movies this article discusses, the superhero genre. The last movie we saw was Spiderman 3. Before that, 300. Before that, X-Men 3. And so on. So I was excited to see the new Batman and sad that I couldn't see it with the husband. His buddy and I tried to go the other night but it was completely sold out. Luckily, I did get to see it with my friend and her two sons this week.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. And Heath Ledger was just...wow. The whole time I kept thinking how tragic it was that the role messed with his head so badly but how unsurprising it was, considering how masterful his performance was.

Those are movies I want to pay to see.

Posted by: Sarah at 12:37 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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If you're really squeamish, this might freak you out. But there's a youtube of a Lasik surgery, and it's exactly what they did to me. I must say, sitting in the waiting room watching these creeped me out at first, but after I'd watched three people go ahead of me, it wasn't that hard to watch. But still...not for those who get grossed out by eyeballs.

Posted by: Sarah at 09:12 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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