I love U2. Always have and probably always will. This past Monday I got to see them live for only the 2nd time in my life (the first was in Seattle in April with my FREE tickets that I won on the radio on my birthday). The whole experience was fantastic, even the 6 hours in the cold and rainy weather since I had GA floor tickets. Just glad Mother Nature didn't continue with the freezing rain.
Just some details of the day:
- Finally being healthy enough to be able to stand outside for hours on end in the cold.
- Heat warmers for the hands. (also can be useful for the toes that numb up)
- Meeting Matt and Tara in line. They were the 332nd and 333rd people in line to my 338 spot. They are from Bainbridge Island and are cool people. It was fun to do our own thing and then chat about cool books, our love of mindless hollywood gossip (well, not so much Matt), observations about other people in line.
- Making a pact with them that if Shannon and I both got chosen to go into the Ellipse that we would take them and vice versa (alas, none of us got in).
- Discovering I was the sole Portlander of the 20 or so people around me in line.
- Pascal. Deserves props for many things including: letting me park in his extra parking space at his condo, bringing me a Starbuck's venti hot chocolate with soy to keep me warm, coming by again at 5:15pm to pick up my chair, blanket and let me change my clothes in the back of his car as he drives around the block.
- Getting a spot on the floor 3 people back from the catwalk behind other shorter individuals with a clear, unobstructed view of the stage.
- Being able to celebrate Bono being named the day before as one of Time's People of the Year award.
- Experiencing the joy and gratitude the crew had for the band and vice versa as it was the last show of the North American tour.
- Blending of several John Lennon songs into the playlist, along with Johnny Comes Marching Home, Rock the Casbah, and many other songs.
- Running to Kells after the show to hang with some other friends since the MAX was really slow and all the taxi's were taken.
Needless to say, if I needed new friends like Matt and Tara along with an old friend Pascal to help me get through the day without being bored.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
I can't breathe
So I don't really handle being sick very well. I say I act like a baby. My mom says it is more like a stereotypical guy. Luckily I am usually very healthy and getting sick is a rare event. Unfortunately, the 4 year bug caught up with me this week. I could feel the cold hit at 1:10pm on Sunday shortly after church and I just felt it get worse as the day wore on. Days like this make we question why church is 3 hours long. Needless to say, I tried to be good and I took Monday and Tuesday off and slept. I felt great so I went into work today, but alas, by 2pm I was feeling terrible and by 3pm my 12 hour decongestant taken at 8am had completely failed me. I literally cannot breathe unless my mouth is open. I can barely see through the watering of the eyes. The worst thing about being sick? I can't see the Dandy's tonight. Life sucks right now.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
This Isn't the Real America
A friend of mine sent me this article written by Jimmy Carter that appeared in the LA Times on 11/14/05. I find the tone of this compared to the letter in my last post is startling.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-carter14nov14,0,7164514.story
While I confess I don't know much about when he was president, I am impressed with his ability to do so much since his "forced retirement"as he called it last night on the Daily Show. His position on all of the issues addressed in his article are rooted in his belief as a follower of Christ and shows that the fundamentalist christian base does not own the sole right to speak for Him. They may be the loudest but are they the most in tune with His wishes? Am I doing all I can to lend my voice to this fight? Probably not, but passing this on is a start.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-carter14nov14,0,7164514.story
While I confess I don't know much about when he was president, I am impressed with his ability to do so much since his "forced retirement"as he called it last night on the Daily Show. His position on all of the issues addressed in his article are rooted in his belief as a follower of Christ and shows that the fundamentalist christian base does not own the sole right to speak for Him. They may be the loudest but are they the most in tune with His wishes? Am I doing all I can to lend my voice to this fight? Probably not, but passing this on is a start.
Well, I Do Care
Okay, so I am not fully savvy of sending a link to an email, so you will get the majority of the emial below. I get into work the other day to this in my inbox answering a question that a friend had asked. Well, for some reason I didn't get the original question but figured it had something to do with America and the war in Iraq. All I can say is this: I have never felt so sick in my life and could feel the blood drain from my face as I read this. Why then do I post it here? Well so that people who do love this great country that I call home will realize that there is another war going on that I believe has a greater impact on what our country will be in 100 years than the war in Iraq.
"Unless you're an American-hating fool, you have to love this lady..............
The lady who wrote this letter is Pam Foster of Pamela Foster and Associates in Atlanta. She's been in business since 1980 doing Interior design and home planning. She recently wrote this letter to a Family member serving in Iraq.
Subject: I don't care! WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS?
"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic terrorists who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, Burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?
And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" When an overworked American soldier is accused of kicking it or getting it wet? Well, I don't. I don't care at all. What I hate more is the so Called 'news' reporters, the pompous liberal liars, were trying to make a Big stink out of nothing, just to make President Bush look bad.
I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and just Before they drop the noose around his scrawny neck, repents for Incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11. I'll care about the Koran when the fanatic bastards in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia. I'll start to care when the stinking better than Thou Muslims in this country really condemn the radicals of their Pathetic dark
age 'religion' for all the terror and death that they've caused in the world. I'll care when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi tells the world he is sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling, slashed throat.
I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques. I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.
I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law Instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights.
In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave Marine roughing Up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I hope he beats His ass to a pulp because he really deserves it and I don't care.
When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi terrorists who Have been 'tortured' in what amounts to a college hazing incident, by having To wear panties on their heads, rest assured that I don't care. When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told Not to
move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank That I don't care.
When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart that I don't care, and I wish they'd quietly make the illegitimate son of a camel turd disappear for good.
And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and -- you guessed it -- I don't care!"
I'm with this lady Well Jimmy Crack corn and I don't care either. Pass it
on......... if you don't care either."
Well I DO CARE. If muslims did the things we as Americans have done to them to a Christian, she would probably not take the Jimmy Crack Corn position. The determination of when human rights are to be respected aren't ours to choose. To be the last remaining superpower on this planet requires much responsibility. And at this moment in time, we are failing in our responsibility.
"Unless you're an American-hating fool, you have to love this lady..............
The lady who wrote this letter is Pam Foster of Pamela Foster and Associates in Atlanta. She's been in business since 1980 doing Interior design and home planning. She recently wrote this letter to a Family member serving in Iraq.
Subject: I don't care! WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS?
"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic terrorists who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, Burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?
And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" When an overworked American soldier is accused of kicking it or getting it wet? Well, I don't. I don't care at all. What I hate more is the so Called 'news' reporters, the pompous liberal liars, were trying to make a Big stink out of nothing, just to make President Bush look bad.
I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and just Before they drop the noose around his scrawny neck, repents for Incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11. I'll care about the Koran when the fanatic bastards in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia. I'll start to care when the stinking better than Thou Muslims in this country really condemn the radicals of their Pathetic dark
age 'religion' for all the terror and death that they've caused in the world. I'll care when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi tells the world he is sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling, slashed throat.
I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques. I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.
I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law Instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights.
In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave Marine roughing Up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I hope he beats His ass to a pulp because he really deserves it and I don't care.
When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi terrorists who Have been 'tortured' in what amounts to a college hazing incident, by having To wear panties on their heads, rest assured that I don't care. When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told Not to
move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank That I don't care.
When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart that I don't care, and I wish they'd quietly make the illegitimate son of a camel turd disappear for good.
And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and -- you guessed it -- I don't care!"
I'm with this lady Well Jimmy Crack corn and I don't care either. Pass it
on......... if you don't care either."
Well I DO CARE. If muslims did the things we as Americans have done to them to a Christian, she would probably not take the Jimmy Crack Corn position. The determination of when human rights are to be respected aren't ours to choose. To be the last remaining superpower on this planet requires much responsibility. And at this moment in time, we are failing in our responsibility.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Like a lamb to the slaughter
That is how I feel about finally starting a blog. I have compulsive tendencies and so I am a bit afraid that I will either become addicted to the whole experience of writing a blog or else will just become too consumed with my feelings of my verbal and written inadequacy and not write at all. Let the bets begin to guess which it is. As for me, I don't know. I hope it will be somewhere in between. If I can master the blog, maybe I can save some money on my therapy bills.
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