For the 4000

I'm thinking about you. I'm praying for your families. I weep for us all. We can't even begin to know what we have lost.

GOD SPEED ANDY

Andrew Olmsted. Words escape me. Thanks to AngieW. for the link that lead me to Andy's blog.

Remembering...

I can never write the date September 11th without thinking of that morning six years ago. Just can't do it. Couldn't bring myself to write about anything else for today either. I saw a couple of TV programs over the weekend that have me thinking a lot about 9-11-2001.

GG and I watched SHUT UP AND SING on HBO. It's a documentary about the Dixie Chicks that spans from 2003 to 2006. While I consider myself to be a fan of the Chicks, I wasn't so sure I wanted to watch this documentary since it chronicles what happened to them after lead singer Natalie Maines made her comments about Gee Dub-yah back in 2003. Frankly, I had mixed emotions about what she did and said. Not because I disagreed with her, but maybe the time and place weren't appropriate for those comments. Like I said, mixed emotions.

Even so, I can hardly believe the fall out or how personally people took her remarks. I don't believe her comments were planned or calculated back then. I do think Ms. Maines, contrary to what she'd have people believe, does think twice about what she says now. Ironically, how true her words are today. Many Americans are just as disgusted with Bush and his administration today as she was bold enough to say four years ago.

What is totally preposterous to me is the country western music station owners reaction to it. It's hard not to believe the Bush machine didn't call in some favors and lean on people to ban the Chicks' music. No. I'm not crazy. See what you think when you watch the video. The documentary also puts a face on what it was like for the Chicks to continue to perform when they were receiving hate mail and death threats. Could you stand up on a stage for 2 plus hours exposed to your most vicious enemies and perform? *gulp!* This is why I would never want to be famous. No way, no how. Not that I have to worry about that. : ) People judging you all the time? What you wear. What you say. All day. Every day. No thank you!

The second thing that has me thinking about 9-11 was just a part of a documentary we caught on PBS about conspiracy theories about the two towers and the events relating to the security of the buildings in the weeks before the suicide plane crashes. Pretty freaky stuff. Even parts of the 9-11 report give one pause. Don't you feel like we never REALLY know the facts about stuff like this? I feel like I'm always sifting through information to find some core of truth that speaks to me and makes sense. Surely to God we can do better with all the technology available to us and figure out what really happened? You'd think so, wouldn't you?

I'd like to go to bed at night and believe we have the means to protect our average citizens. I think about the thousands of people who died six years ago whose deaths impacted even thousands more people. Children who lost parents. Parents who lost children. Husbands their wives. Wives their husbands. It's just too huge to comprehend. Do you realize we will soon be surpassing (I didn't check the number today so I'm not sure) the number of people who died on 9-11 with the number of soldiers who've been killed in Iraq? I grieve, grieve, grieve for every family who's lost someone. Five years people, five freaking years of this war. Bring our soldiers home, damn it!

So I'm thinking about a lot of things. Grateful for my life and that my loved ones are safe. But mostly thinking about that day six years ago and remembering...

Going Home

What do you say to this 25 year old? I'm hooked on The Sandbox. If you have a minute, take a look at this. He obviously has parents, but I want to adopt him. I want to adopt them all. God speed guys. I hope you all get home safe and sound to your families.

Where I Have No Point at All

I've been keeping myself busy resting. Yes, you read that right. I've been busy resting!! I've been sleeping and reading and generally taking it easy. I assign myself a couple of chores each day, but other than that I've been living on easy street since my early retirement five weeks ago.

Well, two weeks were vacation, one week I had a sister visiting and a sister having surgery and then last week I went to help the sister who was visiting unpack...Sort of. That adventure is a story for another day. Anyway, I haven't been completely loafing, but mostly. It's been marvelous actually. Well, except for the unfreakingbelievable heat we are having. Holy Hannah it's hot!!

I've read quite a few books the past few weeks. I just finished Susan Donovan's A KEPT WOMAN. It was one of those occasions that I picked the right book at just the right time to read it. I'd read a couple of EC books before it and felt a little overloaded on the heavy breathing and heaving breasts. So this was a great change. While not as meaty as some romantic romps or as witty, still satisfying. Know what I mean? A satisfying read...bliss!!

I read on another reader blog recently that the reader didn't review every book she read. While she read many more books than she reviewed, there were only a few she picked out to review. She said her choice to comment/review was based on whether she had something she wanted to say about the book and not just whether or not she liked it.

Boy, she really nailed my feelings to the 'T'. I read many more books than I comment on. If something about the book speaks to me I usually give it a mention here. Short and sweet. I struggle sometimes expressing my thoughts sometimes about books. Don't come here for synopsis or in-depth analysis. I serve the diet plate reviews here. *wink*

Speaking of reader blogs, color me completely agog to realize that I had missed a Linda Howard book. Quite by accident while following a link on Karen's page (regarding Queen Bees of Romance's opinion on Jan Butler's letter in RWA) I found a Linda Howard interview from 2004 which she states she did a paperback book TO DIE FOR released in 2005 between hardcovers. The title didn't seem familiar. I did a quick review of bookshelves and guess what. I didn't have this book! No kidding, I couldn't believe I'd missed one of Ms. Howard's books. For better or worse I'm enough of a fan(addict) of Ms. Howard that I went out and purchased the book. Sheesh! I was stunned to think this got by me. What else am I missing? *gasp!*

Of course it is pretty hard to get too worked up about the continuing shenanigans in the romance world (Ms. Butler, et al) or a missed purchase when such horrible news is coming out of the Middle East. As a citizen of the world, I weep for us all. As a mother of sons I'm terrified. I'm praying for all those trapped in the conflict. I pray for families every where who either have family living in the Middle East or have a loved one serving in some capacity or another in that region. What a sad and sorrowful mess. God help us all.