Recently went camping with my family just outside of town. Bronson worked most of the weekend, but we enjoyed dinner and breakfast together. It was cold sleeping weather. Azriel decided to sleep in the hammock but eventually joined me in the tent under the blankets and pillows. The body heat felt great! Azriel and I walked the beach and dunes to a naked-eye astronomy class one night, playing frisbee and taking pictures along the way. The class was conducted by a husband and wife in their early 60's. Pretty sure they were fans of Jack Hornheimer. The husband was the main speaker, but the wife was correcting him a lot, moving him along, publicly nagging him. Loved it!
Prior to this class I could identify Cassiopeia the Big Dipper and Orion. After this class, we went onto the observation deck and I was able to identify nine additional constellations. It was AWESOME! So, before I forget the information, I have a terrible memory, I wanted to write down the constellations we saw in the August sky. I'd love to stay awake some night and watch the heavenly tenants rotate around Polaris (Ursa Minor).
Western Sky: Ursa Major, Northern Crown (Corona Borealis), Hercules (with his club)
Across the Milky Way Belt (north-ish to south-ish): Perseus (the king), Cassiopeia (the queen), Cepheus (the house the king was asked to leave), Swan (Cygnus), Serpents Head & Tail (Serpens Caput & Cauda) and Serpents Holder (Opiuchus), and the Scorpion.
Keep Looking Up!
Additional Websites:
365 Days of Astronomy
Seeing in the Dark
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
in shock
My man, Sgt. D, reserved a spot in the 432nd last week and I start basic on January 12, 2010 at Fort Jackson, SC and AIT on March 29 at Fort Bragg, NC. So, how is this going to work? I've never shot a gun or weapon before. Held a rifle over the winter that looked as though it came from the civil war....felt evil. I wonder if the army offers a bow & arrow option. Actually, I've managed to spin the negativity. I figure if I live alone, I'll have sweeter dreams with an AK-47 under my pillow. Not exactly sure what an AK-47 is, it may be overkill.
Truth is, at the time of this writing, I'm fearful. Acknowledging my progesterone, estrogen, and endorphin levels are near zero (sorry guys, but its my blog), I've been throwing back seeds & berries all day, pushing- and sitting- the ups, and contemplating the 'what if's'. Last resort, graduate school. Armed with a back-up plan seems to help move me forward.
So, I meet my Commander tomorrow in Green Bay. I asked my daughter if she wanted to come along. Interestingly, she said yes. I like the way her mind works.
Frontline World recently aired a documentary about children in Pakistan. Children of the Taliban is a disturbing look at the 'education' of boy jihadists and the Taliban's thoughts about girls and women. No matter who I'm wearing, I'll always be a mother first, occasionally surpassed by gender, then a 'gun-toting diplomat'.
Truth is, at the time of this writing, I'm fearful. Acknowledging my progesterone, estrogen, and endorphin levels are near zero (sorry guys, but its my blog), I've been throwing back seeds & berries all day, pushing- and sitting- the ups, and contemplating the 'what if's'. Last resort, graduate school. Armed with a back-up plan seems to help move me forward.
So, I meet my Commander tomorrow in Green Bay. I asked my daughter if she wanted to come along. Interestingly, she said yes. I like the way her mind works.
Frontline World recently aired a documentary about children in Pakistan. Children of the Taliban is a disturbing look at the 'education' of boy jihadists and the Taliban's thoughts about girls and women. No matter who I'm wearing, I'll always be a mother first, occasionally surpassed by gender, then a 'gun-toting diplomat'.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
FYI
Clicking on post titles get's inside my runner's head, i.e. 'running' playlist.
Keep this interactive and share your playlists with me. I want to know! I don't have a song on this post. So, don't click on the title, it'll be an epic fail!
Keep this interactive and share your playlists with me. I want to know! I don't have a song on this post. So, don't click on the title, it'll be an epic fail!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
army strong
AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I deservedly linked up with a knowledgeable recruiter, Sgt. D.. Experienced in getting people into the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, he is my man.
Conflicts exist between gov't financial resources and the need for my kind of people to 'support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me' Allah. It will end once Congress and the President see eye to eye on the upcoming budget in October. Tangent: What kind of fire-breathing lunatics will we see once the media stops stroking health care and moves onto budget issues? Stay tuned to Jon, Stephen and Glenn to deal with the mayhem.
Sgt. D. expects training slots to open once the overseas contingency has it's budget, i.e., I should be banging out push-ups at Fort Jackson, SC in November or January. Graduation and then onto Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Bragg, NC . Glorious is the day I turn up at Fort Bragg! I'll be with my people!
5 most ridiculous things I've said since deciding to join the Army:
1. 'I'd like to join the Army'.
2. When I realized my recruiter wasn't taking a 40-year old, divorced female seriously: 'I'm not fucking around'.
3. During a briefing prior to taking the physical, my recruiter explained the dress code, noting no thongs: 'You should stop thinking about me in a thong'. Friends suggested I go commando or camouflage. Thanks for the ideas! :)
4. While at the physical, I noticed I didn't need a pregnancy test with the other female, 20 something year old, future soldiers. I asked why and the nurse said it was because of my age: 'Oh, I thought it was because I became a virgin again'.
5. My new recruiter asked why I wanted Civil Affairs specifically. After explaining why, he wondered if a job as a chaplain's assistant with the same battalion would be a possibility: 'Mmmmm, is the chaplain Jewish?'
Conflicts exist between gov't financial resources and the need for my kind of people to 'support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me' Allah. It will end once Congress and the President see eye to eye on the upcoming budget in October. Tangent: What kind of fire-breathing lunatics will we see once the media stops stroking health care and moves onto budget issues? Stay tuned to Jon, Stephen and Glenn to deal with the mayhem.
Sgt. D. expects training slots to open once the overseas contingency has it's budget, i.e., I should be banging out push-ups at Fort Jackson, SC in November or January. Graduation and then onto Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Bragg, NC . Glorious is the day I turn up at Fort Bragg! I'll be with my people!
5 most ridiculous things I've said since deciding to join the Army:
1. 'I'd like to join the Army'.
2. When I realized my recruiter wasn't taking a 40-year old, divorced female seriously: 'I'm not fucking around'.
3. During a briefing prior to taking the physical, my recruiter explained the dress code, noting no thongs: 'You should stop thinking about me in a thong'. Friends suggested I go commando or camouflage. Thanks for the ideas! :)
4. While at the physical, I noticed I didn't need a pregnancy test with the other female, 20 something year old, future soldiers. I asked why and the nurse said it was because of my age: 'Oh, I thought it was because I became a virgin again'.
5. My new recruiter asked why I wanted Civil Affairs specifically. After explaining why, he wondered if a job as a chaplain's assistant with the same battalion would be a possibility: 'Mmmmm, is the chaplain Jewish?'
Saturday, August 8, 2009
About Exercise-Keep Your Clothes On
This 40-year old body is prone to injury and thwarted a goal to run 10 miles this weekend. Brief ailment history: I broke my left ankle 2 years ago (wish I would have investigated non-surgical alternatives), sprained the same ankle in March, then twisted a few vertebrae in my lower back out of alignment in June and was unable to walk for a few days.
Despite these injuries, as of three weeks ago, I was running on tired shoes and not stretching thoroughly prior to runs. StUpId! I'm hoping my current injury is a mild case of shin splints or Medial Tibial Traction Periostitis (MTTP). I mentioned it to my chiropractor on Thursday and he said if it is MTTP, there is adjustment for this. He is awesome with extremities! Otherwise, it may be a stress fracture.
Either way, I think I'll be hanging up my running shoes for 3-8 weeks. This is NOT going to be easy--I love the intensity and enjoy the runner's high. I thought I would try replacing the runs with non-weight bearing exercises until my shin heals.
From my apartment, there is a beautiful one-mile natural corridor along a river to a spring-fed quarry. Not in accordance with the laws of our fine city, one can experience the thrill of jumping off the limestone cliffs and go for a swim (au naturale, of course) . Unfamiliar with open water swimming, for now, I just want to get use to swimming in this environment with a swimsuit on. At this point, its worth mentioning the back injury I referred to earlier was due to my first nude yoga experience. Please laugh because I am! FYI: It was a spontaneous decision and I was alone. Women: Be wary of the nude cobra! If you're going to fully extend the arms, remember, support the spine with your abdominal's and dig in the thighs (yum!).
Namaste!
Despite these injuries, as of three weeks ago, I was running on tired shoes and not stretching thoroughly prior to runs. StUpId! I'm hoping my current injury is a mild case of shin splints or Medial Tibial Traction Periostitis (MTTP). I mentioned it to my chiropractor on Thursday and he said if it is MTTP, there is adjustment for this. He is awesome with extremities! Otherwise, it may be a stress fracture.
Either way, I think I'll be hanging up my running shoes for 3-8 weeks. This is NOT going to be easy--I love the intensity and enjoy the runner's high. I thought I would try replacing the runs with non-weight bearing exercises until my shin heals.
From my apartment, there is a beautiful one-mile natural corridor along a river to a spring-fed quarry. Not in accordance with the laws of our fine city, one can experience the thrill of jumping off the limestone cliffs and go for a swim (au naturale, of course) . Unfamiliar with open water swimming, for now, I just want to get use to swimming in this environment with a swimsuit on. At this point, its worth mentioning the back injury I referred to earlier was due to my first nude yoga experience. Please laugh because I am! FYI: It was a spontaneous decision and I was alone. Women: Be wary of the nude cobra! If you're going to fully extend the arms, remember, support the spine with your abdominal's and dig in the thighs (yum!).
Namaste!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
deliberate
deliberate (di-lib'er-it; for v., di-lib'er'at'), adj. [L. deliberatus, pp. of deliberare, to consider, weigh well <de-, intensifier + librare, to weigh < libra, a scales]
Deliberation takes time---two years to the month. Perhaps, if I forgave him again, said 'I don't buy it' again and again and again, wasn't so anxiety-driven and out of touch with myself, was a better person and wife. Perhaps, he shouldn't have ignored our marital problems and torn apart my beautiful family with his delusions of love for another woman. I will not mention this again!
Deliberation should be compassionate, communicated, and subsequently, consequently, liberating to all. My theory? Deliberately hurting another is impossible. This falls under the category, 'misery loves company'. Walk away and weigh well.
Solace comes from knowing the mind has the ability to imagine happiness and create a handsome life.
Deliberation takes time---two years to the month. Perhaps, if I forgave him again, said 'I don't buy it' again and again and again, wasn't so anxiety-driven and out of touch with myself, was a better person and wife. Perhaps, he shouldn't have ignored our marital problems and torn apart my beautiful family with his delusions of love for another woman. I will not mention this again!
Deliberation should be compassionate, communicated, and subsequently, consequently, liberating to all. My theory? Deliberately hurting another is impossible. This falls under the category, 'misery loves company'. Walk away and weigh well.
Solace comes from knowing the mind has the ability to imagine happiness and create a handsome life.
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