One of the best inventions ever

Winter has sort of crept slowly into North Carolina, with some chilly weather but nothing that's even closely representative of early December. (In fact, we're due to have 67 degree weather tomorrow...this is how people get sick!)

But the temperatures have been cool enough to break out the sweaters and pashminas-turned-scarves, and that means that one of my favorite winter inventions has been taken out of storage. I am talking about, of course, the crock pot.

There are few things better than coming home to a house full of delicious aromas and knowing that dinner is ready. The crock pot has gotten a ton of use these past couple of weeks and it just makes dinner so easy and cheap.

I still think the washing machine is one of the best adventures ever and probably did more to liberate women than any bra burning, but the crock pot gets points for convenience, healthiness and simplicity!

Mac Fun

Scott and I love our new iMac...we got it back in the summer and have still been exploring with it ever since. My favorite application is iMovie, and we had a little fun, using Deacon as our test subject. I thought I'd share our creation (and our lovable dog) with you all...Enjoy!

Life

I received an e-mail today asking for donations to the Atlanta Humane Society. The story, found here, is about a dog that someone set on fire and the Atlanta Human Society has helped to rescue it. They are asking for donations to help cover the more than $6,500 in expenses to save this dog.

I am torn by this request. No doubt, we have a responsibility to protect and nurture all life - no matter the species, ethnicity or the stage. But it is extremely sad to me that people will donate $6,500 to help a dog and not donate that same money to help one another. At what point did we start cherishing a dog's life more than our own?

Maybe we've become callous. After all, there are many human rights atrocities happening around the world, from Darfur to China to the homeless on our own neighborhood streets. We see it all the time and have become desensitized...but we are still compassionate people and so our hearts - and wallets - turn to animals who are abused and neglected.

Or maybe we don't see humans as "innocent" and feel that the less fortunate may have caused their situations through their own actions. Or that they will use our money for something other than good. Or that they are just not good people.

Or maybe it's too uncomfortable to help those who are less fortunate. We feel somewhat ashamed of our own fortune and lifestyle and can't quite look those others in the eye. It's easier to help someone who won't judge us or cause us to feel guilty of our lifestyle.

But regardless of what we feel or what we think, we need to care as a society. We hve a responsibility to protect all life, yes. But that does not mean we get to choose which kind of life we protect. Perhaps if we had a respect for human life, that would trickle down to having a respect for animals and for the earth. We are all interconnected and so if we are going to give money to save a dog, then we should also do what we can to save a human, to save a tree.

Spending $6,500 on a dog is a sin when there is someone in our own community who could use that money to feed their family, pay their heating bills, to get back on their feet.

A little healthcare humor

With all the angst of the healthcare debate, T-Pain decides to liven it up a bit.

U2 Rocks Raleigh

My whole body is sore and aches. That is a testament to how good the U2 concert was on Saturday.

I've been a huge U2 fan for a long time, so when I heard they were coming to Raleigh, I was super excited. They played in Carter-Finley stadium (NC State's football stadium) and it looked like a sold-out show, which meant there were more than 60,000 people there, making it the largest concert I've ever been to.

The set is one of the largest ever built for a concert and it looked like a spaceship. The music was great and U2 did a phenomenal job, but among the large crowd and the large set, it was one of the most intimate and moving concerts I've been to.

It's amazing that 60,000 people of all shapes and sizes and colors could come together and have fun. No violence. No prejudice. No anger. Just all singing together in perfect pitch, 120,000 arms waving in sync with one another. If we could do this for 2 hours, imagine what we could do with the rest of our lives.

Of course, that's the social message U2 is all about, and it came through loud and clear during the concert. Desmond Tutu even gave a message of love and unity during on of the encores.

Awesome, awesome concert.

Mugabe is spelled A-W-E-S-O-M-E

What's dirtier than a thug? A thug who denies his dirtiness.

You can read the full story here, but here are a few gems from Mugabe's interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour:

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, in a rare interview Thursday, depicted himself as an African hero battling imperialism and foreign attempts to oust him rather than the widespread perception of a dictator clinging to power at the expense of the welfare of his people and country.

He denied that his country is in economic shambles, saying it grew enough food last year to feed all its people, and defended policies that have driven white farmers off their land as properly restoring that land to indigenous Africans.

"The land reform is the best thing (that) could have ever have happened to an African country," said Mugabe, a former revolutionary leader who came to power when white-ruled Rhodesia became black-ruled Zimbabwe. "It has to do with national sovereignty."

It was Mugabe's first interview with a Western television network in several years, and he appeared to get frustrated with some of Amanpour's direct questioning,
repeatedly denying widely accepted evidence and reports on his nation's woes.

Mugabe also denied any responsibility for harm to the nation from his economic policies, instead blaming what he called "unjustified" and "illegal" sanctions that he said were intended to bring regime change.

He also rejected criticism from South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner for his role in the anti-apartheid struggle, who has accused Mugabe of turning Zimbabwe into a "basket case" and repressing his own people.

"It's not a basket case at all," Mugabe said. He later called Tutu's comments "devilish talk" and added: "He doesn't know what he's talking about, the little man."

Awesome.

Is there a warranty with that?

It's been raining for a few days in Raleigh. Not nearly as hard as it is in Atlanta, I imagine, but I bet we're getting some of the tail end of their storms.

As I walked into our brand-new Raleigh airport this morning (as in, just opened about a year ago), I noticed those gray security bins strategically placed throughout the airport. It took a while for me to figure out what was going on and then I realized - they were acting as rain buckets for the leaks coming through the roof.

Leaks through the roof??! The building was just built a year ago. And we're not talking about one or two leaks, but at least 20 security bins were placed throughout various areas of the airport. I wonder if they bought the home warranty.

It's not always race

Jimmy Carter's comments today are a little disturbing. Yes, there is continued racial disparity in this country and there are people who do not accept our President because he is black. But to suggest that to oppose a President's ideas and policies is to be a racist is dangerous. Does this mean that no matter what the President presents to Congress, the country must accept it or else be branded a racist?

We need to fight against racism and be open to all people and ideas. But the anger people have over the healthcare debate cannot all be attributed to racism. It is attributed to disagreement with certain policies. It is attributed to anger over having to change from the status quo. It is attributed to a change that people are unsure about the future and how that change will affect them.

So saying that racism is fueling the anger threatens censorship, it threatens a healthy debate. At some point, you gotta stop playing the race card and accept that disagreement comes from a fundamental difference in political ideologies, not from the color of your skin.

I'm not sure what we gain by going down this road. There are bigger fish to fry and bigger issues to resolve. Using the "r' word doesn't accomplish much. Yes, this country should have a larger discussion about race, but to do it within the forum of political disagreement is unproductive and dangerous to our country's ability - and freedom - to debate.

What's all the fuss about?

I'm travelling overseas for work this week, and so have been a bit disconnected from the rest of the world. So I was surprised when I pulled up CNN.com today and saw some controversy around Obama addressing America's school children tomorrow. Some parents were even threatening to keep their kids from school so they wouldn't hear the speech. Nothing like a little censorship to promote American ideals.

So I decided to read the speech (you can read it yourself here). Now, there are a few cheesy lines in the speech and I think he makes his point one time too many (we get it, Obama), but nothing in there is controversial. In fact, I'm totally surprised Republicans are all up in arms - the speech is all about personal responsibility, something that Republicans believe in. It's about staying in school, getting an education and making the most of your life.

For a country that lags behind the rest of the world in science and math, this is not such a bad thing. Anything, in fact, that helps to promote education is a good thing. Because let's be honest - nobody can take away your education. And an education is the quickest way out of a bad situation and into a better one.

Let our children be inspired. Maybe it's the adults who are too cynical and too political. This isn't about politics - it's about making our future generation the best it can possibly be. And the only way to do that is through education.

Fat

Did you know that 2/3 of American's are overweight? That's 200 million people, with half of those people classifed as obese. That's absolutely crazy. So a couple of interesting tidbits that I randomly came across this past week:

First, it costs over $117 billion a year to treat obesity-related illnesses. No wonder our health care system is in shambles. Hopefully, part of that 1,000 page health care bill provides some kind of preventative education coverage where we can educate people on how to avoid putting on the pounds and, thus, reducing the total cost of our health care.

The next interesting thing was that I was talking to an OB/GYN and he said that cases of infertility have been rising over the years and they think here is actually a correlation with obesity. His overweight and obese patients have a much harder time getting pregnant than those that are skinnier and in shape. Now, perhaps that has something to do with obesity-related illnesses, but that brings us back to point number 1.

KFC just launched a new sandwich in two test markets this week (Nebraska and Rhode Island): the Double Down. It's bacon, two kinds of cheeses and sauce, all piled between two pieces of fried chicken. That's right - no bread, so you don't have to worry about all those carbs. That sounds disgusting, but I bet it's testing great in the markets.

And lastly - and the most disturbing thing I've seen in a while - is the CDC's data and trends on obesity in America over the past 20 years. Wow. You can watch the slideshow here.

I'm not trying to say all this to be mean. Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect and there are circumstances where no matter what people do, they are still going to develop obesity for whatever reason. But our culture and lifestyle is clearly fueling this epidemic and perhaps we need to be more open about this situation to educate those who don't know that their food and behaviors can lead to long-lasting health and cost consequences.

Our health is one of the most important things that we have. Without it, we can't be happy, we can't be successful, we can't live. We need to do more as a nation to be healthier and to value our health - it's all we got.

Very sneaky

Has anyone else recently noticed that prices on iTunes have suddenly changed? What once was $0.99 across the board has quietly risen to $1.29. At first, I thought this was just for the more popular songs, with artists trying to cash in on song popularity. But then I went to download "California Dreamin'", and noticed that it, too, was $1.29. Now, unless the Mamas and the Papas are making a sudden comeback, I'm guessing that iTunes is starting to make the jump for all songs.

It's funny, because 30 cents doesn't seem like that big of a deal. But psychology works in strange ways...I really find myself contemplating whether I NEED certain songs, because $1.29 seems like more of an investment than $0.99.

I get that with the cost of living increasing, the cost of songs must increase, too. But it seems a little sneaky. I think I would have been less shocked - and resistant to the price increase - if it was announced on iTunes. Just let me know that things are going to be a-changing.

London is very rainy

Last month, my mother, sister and I took a little bonding trip to London. I know, it's quite a ways to go to bond, but the idea was that my sister (who studied abroad there in college) could show us around and we could peer a bit into her life.

We had a great time and it was fun to get to know my family a little better, which is hard, now that we're scattered around the country and don't get to talk too often.

Most of the time in London was spent in the city, doing some of the

typical touristy things; but we also took the train to Bath, met some interesting people along the way, and ate some of the most delicious food (who said English food is terrible?).

One thing about London was that it was COLD! At the end of July, we were enjoying weather in the low 60s with lots of rain on and off throughout the day. Londoners, apparently, abide by the motto to "dress like an onion." It's totally accurate...I never knew when to put on or take off layers!

Stories from the road

My day started in Indianapolis, wandered to Phoenix, landed in Sacramento, and drove to Kirkwood, California. Travel is an amazing thing.

While in airports and on airplanes (and just in general, really), I tend to talk to the people around me. I find it interesting to meet different people and hear their stories and I usually hope to learn something along the way, or at least be entertained.

The Key to a Happy Marriage:

In Indianapolis this morning, I started chatting with an older couple in the security line. They were on their way to Vegas to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. Since I had just celebrated my 5th year anniversary, I asked them what the secret was to a happy 40 years.

The wife told me "Patience." And to avoid thinking of and using the terms "me, mine, my, I." Good advice, although something we have all heard a time or two before.

The husband, who was a pastor, gave a slightly different take. "We made an agreement early in our marriage: whoever asks for the divorce has to take the kids." Now this makes sense to me. If you're going to break up the marriage, you have to take a bit of the punishment along with it. I'm thinking of implementing this rule with Scott.

A Surprise Visit Home:

On the ride from Phoenix to Sacramento, I sat next to a soldier who couldn't have been more than 20 years old. He had been deployed in Afghanistan, where he was an explosives engineer. After a month and a half over there, he had been shot by sniper and has been recovering in Kuwait and Germany over the past three weeks or so. This weekend, he was flying home to see his family for four days.

The touching part was that his family didn't know he was coming home. And to top it off, he was going to ask his girlfriend of four years to marry him. He reached into his greens and pulled out the ring to show me (it was very sparkly and very beautiful). You could tell he was nervous and excited.

Whenever I meet an active-duty soldier, I get a little teary-eyed and can feel the emotion catch in my chest. I think part of it is that I'm kind of a selfish person (hence, no kids) and for someone to be that self-less to put their lives in danger for me makes me emotional.

This soldier is going to be deployed again in January, and is totally excited about it. I'm sure there are going to be lots of happy tears this weekend!

A scenic drive:

My travels today ended not with a story, but with pictures. I had the most beautiful drive from Sacramento to Kirkwood, which is someplace east of Sacramento and south of Lake Tahoe. The trees and mountains were breathtaking, and I stopped a few times to take pictures, which don't do the view justice. What wonderful stories and a wonderful drive to kick off a wedding weekend!

I'd tap that

What did we do before bottled water?

The whole idea of bottled water seems silly to me. With the exception of Fiji water, it all tastes the same to me, and no different from tap water (and, in fact, some companies have admitted to just bottling local tap water). And not to even mention the environmental impact, which is atrocious. It's almost like we're polluting the earth for no real beneficial reason...and that's just wasteful.

Americans spend $16 billion dollars a year on bottled water. That's more money per year than we spend on the Iraq war. And, like the war, the effects of those bottles will hang around for years and years to come.

So I was amused and excited to see a new initiative taking place in NYC. It's called TapIt, and it's a network of cafe owners who sign up as partners and allow people to pop in and fill up their reusable water bottles for free. So you're able to have easy access to free tap water, on the go. It's a win-win-win for everyone involved - it cuts back on waste (good for the planet), gives water to people (good for thirsty people) and gives business and exposure to the cafes (good for capitalism).

You can find out more at TapIt.

Our tap water is among the cleanest in the world. And yet that's still not good enough for us. If we stop to appreciate what we have here and use it, then perhaps we'd make an impact on our world.

Harmonious Beer

I'm not going to even talk about the Beer Summit that went down at the White House today. I'm not talking about it because it's absolutely ridiculous that this situation should even be a blip on the President's radar. I'm not going to talk about it because it's absolutely ridiculous that this whole situation should be treated to drinks, like a bunch of college friends getting together to catch up. I'm not going to talk about it because it's, frankly, embarrassing to our country.

But I am going to talk about the beer.

Apparently, the choice of beer caused a bit of a stir, as well, with one Massachusetts congressman wanting Sam Adams to be the only beer of choice. Budweiser is now owned by a Belgium company and Coors and Miller are owned by UK conglomerates. So, Sam Adams is the natural, all-American, all-Boston choice for the White House to serve.

Nothing like a silly political controversy that gives root to another silly political controversy.

My favorite quote, though, was from Jim Koch, the founder and brewer of Sam Adams. He would choose to make a special beer for the event:

"I'd make a blend of ingredients from all over the world. Which is certainly what's represented there with the three participants," he said. "I would blend those ingredients together artfully and harmoniously, because that's really what we all hope for."

Let's all take our cue from Koch...raise your glass of beer, take a chug, and leave this silliness behind.

The USA is the awesomest country in the world...followed closely by Pakistan

USA Today had a "Snapshots" survey in their Thursday paper that looked the countries with the most executions in the world.

In 2008, 95% of the 2,390 known executions in the world were carried out in six countries:

CHINA: 1,718
IRAN: 346
SAUDI ARABIA: 102
USA: 37
PAKISTAN: 36
IRAQ: 34

Really? We've committed 3 more executions than a country with whom we're at war because of their lack of democracy? We typically think of these countries as being dictatorships, unrestful, communist...somewhat unappealing terms from our ethnocentric point of view. And yet, we're right there with the best of them, killing our own people.

As I've blogged before, I am pro-life. But that extends past abortion. I think it's atrocious that our country allows the killing of any human being - whether they are in the womb or behind bars. This survey should put us in our place. And hopefully enact some sort of change.

Save the pennies

My friend, Abby, and I have said for years that there should be some sort of basic money management course that is mandatory for all high schoolers (or even junior highers, for that matter). The basic principle is that few people know the basic principles of saving, of not spending more than you earn, or how credit works.

Forget home-economics, let's talk personal economics. With a little basic education, perhaps our country could have avoided the mortgage and credit situation we now find ourselves in. While yes, you could argue that banks may have taken advantage of situations and people, I also think we are partly to blame. If we would have exercised prudence and some basic principles of spending, perhaps things would have been a little different than they are today.

These classes may sound simple, but they are important in setting the foundation for financial education. Basic topics like: "How to properly use a credit card (ie, a credit card is not a free loan)" and "The latte effect: don't buy that $5 coffee drink if you don't have $5" and "Let's talk about saving: some simple definitions" may be some of the most important classes high schoolers ever take. After all, when was the last time you used a cosine? But I bet you more recently needed a cosigner.

And while our banks may have good intentions to help us save, I think they are missing the boat in helping to change our attitudes. Take Wachovia's "Way to Save" or Bank of America's "Save the Change." These programs, in essence, help you save money every time you use your debit card. For each purchase you make, money from your checking account is automatically transferred to your savings account.

The issue here is that we are propogating the underlying problem in our personal economic culture. I thought you saved money by not spending it. Instead, these banks are saying that the best way to save money is to spend it. Not quite the right message in these economic times.

So we need a revolution. An economic revolution on the most microcosmic scale. And I think it starts when most of us start our first jobs and are beginning to become responsible for ourselves. Mandatory classes in high school might be a good idea. After all, how can our future leaders be responsible for our country's finances when they can't even handle their own?

Another new person in the world

Welcome to this world, Davis Mitchell! And congratulations to Alison and James on their new bundle of joy (who decided to come a week early!).

Either all babies are born adorable, or I just have friends with great genes. Can't wait to meet the newest member of the gang!

Operator Error

How is it that we live in the digital era and no one knows how to use an airline self-service kiosk?

It doesn't matter if the person is young or old, hip or old-fashioned, I have yet to watch a person use one of those kiosks without 1) needing assistance or 2) taking less than 5 minutes to print their boarding passes.

I'll be the first to admit: I'm not a patient person. In fact, I'm the opposite of a patient person. And nothing drives me crazier than to watch people try to navigate the self-service kiosks.

First, it begins with them not knowing when to walk up to a kiosk. Without fail, there will be seventeen kiosks open and I'll have to direct the poor soul at the front of the line to one of them.

Me: "Excuse me? Are you waiting for a kiosk?"
Them: "Yes."
Me: "There's an open kiosk over there. And there. And there. And there."

Then, invariably, they don't have their confirmation code. Or a credit card to swipe. Or a passport. Or their destination airport.

Once they have gotten past the intro screen, they feel the need to read every single word on the screen and carefully select the right button to push. Nevermind that the right button to push is always in a bright color, to help guide you through the process quickly. I watch as their fingers hover over the screen, anticipating their next move. But it's a slow process, as if they don't fully understand how the magical screen can capture their answers.

Finally, they print their boarding pass and just as I'm about to take their place in line, they stand there to talk to the kiosk attendant. They don't move out of the way so the next person can use the kiosk. No. They stand IN FRONT OF THE IDLE KIOSK, asking some asinine question (I'm sure.)

Now, I'm no computer whiz kid. But I do know how to read and how to push things. These extraordinary talents allow me to check in and print my boarding pass in a matter of mere seconds.

The airline kiosks should be reserved for those with these special talents. Everyone else can use the old fashioned way to check-in: the friendly airline ticket counter agent.

Fighting Five Year Olds

14

I was a bit surprised by this number. My moral compass says that I could never really fight a five-year old...unless I was being brutally attacked by one. But now I know I'm ready for motherhood, if only I could over the idea of actually birthing a child.

And speaking of childhood memories...

I was very sad to hear about Michael Jackson's death on Thursday. It was a total shock, and a piece of my childhood also died. As a child, it was my dream to be Tina Turner and marry Michael Jackson. I fufilled part of that dream last October, when I saw Tina in concert, dancing on the stage in her four inch heels; but, now, I'll never be able to realize that dream with Michael.

Yeah, I know. He was a little...strange. But I've always felt a bit sorry for him. He had a tough childhood, with an abusive father and a spotlight always on him. He should have had better people around him, to tell him what was inappropriate or could be perceived as over-the-line. But there's no denying that he was truly talented, and there doesn't exist a person today who can do what MJ did.

I have these great memories of me dancing around in my underwear to "Beat It" as a child. And while I might still do that to this day, it will lack a bit of the luster and passion as it once did. Here's hoping his music and musical influence will live on for another generation to enjoy.

When you find pieces of your childhood in an antique shop

This past weekend, Scott and I were perusing an antique store in Greenville, in pursuit of some small, unique decorating items. I'm not usually a big fan of antique stores, but we've recently found some good finds and I'm all about reusing things, rather than buying more stuff.

As we were looking, we came across the old book section and the black-and-white checkered spine of one book caught my eye. I pulled it out and - to my disbelief - it was a book of Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes...the same exact copy I had growing up as a child. I used to love that book - with it's black and white cover, colored illustrations inside, funny rhymes. I was so close to purchasing this copy.

We kept looking and came across the toy section - and there, on the shelf, was the same Fisher Price musical box I had as a kid. You turned the dial and it played a song, as a window showed a revolving picture of bears on a picnic. They say smell is one of the strongest senses, but I would argue so is sound. I haven't heard that song in probably 25 years, but I immediately began humming along with the tune.

So when do you know you're officially old? I would say when you find pieces of your childhood in an antique shop.

Good news, bad news

With GM's announced bankruptcy yesterday and the loss of about 20,000 jobs that will come with it, it was nice to hear that Wal-Mart will be back filling some of those losses this coming year. According to a new press release, Wal-Mart plans to fill about 22,000 jobs, some of which will be in Michigan.

I'm not a big fan of Wal-Mart; in fact, I avoid it as much as possible. It's large, it's always busy, I can never find anything, and it takes approximately 3 weeks to check out.

But there are some good things that they are doing, including some environmental things that may have some big impacts. You can't deny that they are one of the largest employers in the nation, and so anything positive they do will have a big impact. It's nice that this announcement comes as a media-painted-bleak time.

It was also interesting to see GM's new PR commercials, launched the same day as their announcement. They are good. It's inspirational. It's patriotic. It's hopeful. I'm not a GM fan in particular, but I'd like to see the American car companies survive...but they have to be able to compete. Hopefully, this means that the American car companies have seen the light and will start to give the American people what they want and give the foreign car companies a run for their money.

Let's see if the good PR campaign can become a reality.

Up and Away

Pixar has done it again.

We went to see "Up" in 3D this weekend, and it was incredible. Any animated movie that can bring me to tears has got to be good (and yes, as a warning, within the first 10 minutes, there is a sequence that will start the waterworks for just about anyone. I swear the movie theatre was silent, as people tried to keep their sniffles under control).

There is some heavy content in the movie that I wonder is really meant for younger children, but along with the great message (Live Life. Don't live in the past. Adventure can be found in everything you do.), it had lots of humor and wonderful artistry. And anyone with a dog would be totally able to relate to the movie!

I highly recommend it, especially if you like Pixar movies. They've done it once again!

And, as a teaser, Toy Story 3 is coming out July 2010. Seems like so long away, but I never realized it takes them at least five years to create each movie. That is true talent.

Matchmaker, matchmaker

My mother-in-law, seemingly oblivious to the fact that I'm married to her son, is trying to set me up with her neighbor.

Now, granted, her neighbor is a rising movie star. So perhaps the prospect of having a connection to Hollywood is a bit more appealing than a connection to an attorney. I buy it. And, I can't deny her good taste in men. The rising movie star, William Alex Gayle, is very nice to look at, even off screen.

Alex is a young actor, who most recently appeared (albeit briefly) on the season finale of One Tree Hill, one of my favorite guilty pleasure shows. So I was excited that I was only one degree of separation away from my favorite shows and looking forward to meeting someone who could soon become a regular on the show.

So last week, my mother-in-law invited me to Wilmington, where the show is filmed, to attend a private party with Alex. It's a long story, but it turns out we all ended up watching the show at my mother-in-law's house...and by "we all", I mean Alex, his family (as in, grandparents, parents and brother), and some friends.

The next thing I know, my mother-in-law is talking me up to Alex, getting his glossy headshot signed for me and exchanging my e-mail address with his. She even had him leave me a voice mail on my phone, where he said I "was sweet" and he's "looking forward to meeting me again." I wouldn't be too surprised if my mother-in-law organized a date with him for next weekend!

I personally think it's hilarious. And very touching that my mother-in-law would go to such lengths to help me meet the actors on my favorite shows. If only the glitz of Hollywood was a bit more alluring to me...

Mama Mia!

Over Mother's Day weekend, I visited my college roommate, Elizabeth, and her new baby. Baby Chase is absolutely adorable, happy baby and it was so much fun just to hang out and be with him. And it was amazing to see Elizabeth as a mom. Not surprisingly, she's really good at it!

So Baby Chase looks a lot like his dad, Chris. But there are definitely a lot of features that resemble Elizabeth; even more so as I was going through my pictures. Whenever something tickles Elizabeth's fancy, she makes this certain kind of smile. Chase did the same thing! It's exactly like Elizabeth's mouth when she makes that smile. How does that happen? The picture here is evidence...that's the smile!

Thanks for the fun visit, Elizabeth and Chris! And welcome to this wonderful world, little Chase!

The Dodge's last dance

The Dodge is slowing dying, and I think that these last few months may be its last. It's been a great car and has lasted a full ten years so far.

When my Dad first picked out this car for me (being a 19 year old and totally dependent on my parents, I really had no say in the matter), he told me it should last me seven years. (I come from a very "practical" family). At the time, I thought he was crazy. After all, he was driving around a Dodge caravan whose pleather seats were held together by duct tape. Four, five years at the max, I thought. But now, with the car paid off and the freedom of one less loan to pay, I'm trying to squeeze every month out of this car that I can.

And it has run really well so far, with minimal problems or needed repairs. But these past few months, I've been hearing some strange noises and feeling some suspicious vibrations. And with the car at 137,000 miles, I am expecting the transmission to be next.

Ten years is a long time. It's been with me through college and grad school, graduations and relationships, a marriage, a dog, and four apartments and homes. It has taken multiple trips to New York and Illinois and back. It has slid across four icy lanes of Indiana traffic and has lost brake functionality on I-495 near DC.

There are a lot of memories tied up in the car, epecially with it being my first car ever. I fondly refer to its color as "British racing green" and friends fondly refer to it as "The Dodge." Even John Goodman can appreciate this car ("I drive a Dodge Stratus"). They don't even make Dodge Stratus' anymore, so I'm really going to be losing a piece of American history.

So, reluctantly, I've started to look for other cars. I want something that is hybrid (or at least a gas sipper) and something that stands out from the crowd a bit, looks a little different. So far, the short list includes a Smartcar (which may not be practical since I drive 30 miles a day on I-40), a Prius, and a Mini Cooper. Maybe a Ford Fusion hybrid.

But I feel like I'm cheating on the Dodge when I think of other cars. Or sealing its fate.

...and an arrival of our own

Scott and I adopted our first dog, Deacon! We rescued him from a wonderful shelter, Saving Grace, and it was one of those things where I never expected to come home with him. He's part poodle and part bichon frise (I know what you're thinking), but he is super sweet and very spunky.

These past few weeks, he's been sick, so it's been a bit eye-opening to understand the money and care needed to go into a pet, but we think he's finally on the mend and his old personality is shining through!

We're excited to add little Deacon to our family! And yes, he's named Deacon because of the Demon Deacons. He may not be winning any NCAA championship titles, but he is one of the smartest breeds out there, so we think the name is entirely appropriate!

A few more arrivals

I've been terribly remiss in announcing a few more births and pregnancies! I really do think this might be the last wave for a little while, so I'll have some time to breathe (and enjoy the little babies that have already arrived!).

So a big congratulations to Sterling and Paul who welcomed little baby Parker to the world! I'm hoping to make it over there this week to meet him, but I can already attest to his cuteness from the pictures I've seen. Here, you can see for yourself:

And congratulations to Alison and James, who are expecting. Alison still has a few more months to go, but, true to form, she has already completed the nursery and is positively glowing! Can't wait to see her (and her belly) tomorrow night!

Colbert sounds the call

I'm sort of a Stephen Colbert junkie. I watch his show religiously, I waste time on his website and I'm constantly amazed by the way he convinces people to support him in the most ridiculous ways - like naming a NASA space node after him.

But he also does some good with that following, like this latest endeavor: Donors Choose. You can go to the donors choose website, pick a branch of the military and donate to classrooms who are listed under that branch. These classrooms have children of servicemen/women and need some extra funding to help make small education projects come through.

It's really a great idea, and hits an important nerve with me - education. So check out the site and see what creative and interesting ideas our teachers are doing for our children. Then choose your favorite and donate. And, not that I'm partial with my father being a Marine Colonel, but donating in honor of the Marines would make things extra special!

No more investing?

I was reading an article in this month's Atlantic (Why I Fired my Broker, Goldberg) and it brought up an interesting thought, which, admittedly, goes completely against my investing paradigm. However, now I'm wondering if it's time for a complete paradigm shift, given the current state of the economy and how we got here.

To date, my husband and I invest in the stock market, even if indirectly. We max out on our 401(k)s and we invest a monthly amount with our broker. We don't have too much debt, but should we even have any?

Over the past year, we've seen our 401(k)s plummet and our market investments drop. Granted, these are unrealized losses, but for how long will the market continue to drop?

Goldberg argues that only serious investors should invest in the stock market, rather than people using the market to build a future. In other words, only those people who can afford to lose everything they invest should invest. If you're saving for a child's college fund and can't afford to lose all that money, then you shouldn't invest in the stock market.

This goes against everything I believe in. Over the long run, the market evens out and you should expect about a 6-8% yearly return on average. But is this all different in this new environment? 

Goldberg also argues that brokers are bias in what stocks and industries they recommend, sometimes to the detriment of investors (as we've seen in th news lately). So if a broker is recommending a certain portfolio, is it really in my best interest? Aren't they tainted, to a certain degree, by their own agenda? Who can you really trust and where can you get that unbiased information?

Perhaps my husband and I should pull everything out and become debt free. Or, at the very least, stop investing in the market and use that money, instead, to pay off our debts. And then just save in a safer, albeit lower yield, investment. Of course, if I cash out now, I realize those losses, but if the market keeps tanking, isn't it better to cash out now while there's still something left?

Maybe the morale is that we all might need to do something a little different. Maybe investing in the markets is not the best way to go anymore. Is it time for a whole new change in thinking?

St. John, USVI

We went on our annual vacation with Abby and Nathan at the end of last month to St. John. It was a our fifth vacation together, completing five vacations that start with the letter "C". Kind of quirky, I know, but it was one of those things that just happened and once we realized the inadvertent trend, we decided to continue it.


The first year was Charleston, then Cape Cod, Costa Rica, California and now the Caribbean.

We really liked St. John - the most beautiful blue water, delicious food, great snorkeling and yummy drinks. Most of the vacation was spent on the beach and snorkeling with parrot fish, barracudas, starfish and green turtles. The weather was beautiful (although the water was a little cool) and we had fun cruising in the Jeep on the narrow roads (they drive on the left-hand side of the road over there).

It was a nice, lazy vacation. Something I don't normally do on a vacation, so it was definitely a good change of pace. And, of course, we had a blast with Abby and Nathan...again!




Any suggestions for next year's vacation?

More babies!

A few more exciting baby announcements from across the US:

Congratulations to Andy and Joanna on the birth of baby Isaac! He is super cute and I know they must both be so excited to finally have him arrive!

Congratulations to Lindsey and Ian - they just found out they are expecting their first!

The babies just keep on coming...I'm very excited for my friends and feel so lucky that I get to spoil their little ones!

When bad things happen to good people

Oh, please, Mr. Stanford. Welcome to this world we call reality.

Allen Stanford, the Texas billionaire whose assets are frozen by the SEC due to allegations of a massive Ponzi scheme, had this complaint:

Stanford said the seizure of his assets had left him with little money or even clothing. He had to fly on a commercial plane for the first time in nearly 20 years after the government took his six private jets.

"They make you take your shoes off and everything, it's terrible," he complained about airport security that seemed to surprise him.

Take off your shoes during security? Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! There are two things I have no tolerance for: stupidity and arrogance. In this case, his arrogance is causing his stupidity and ignorance.

Yes, Mr. Stanford. This is how the rest of us live.

Gastronomic Stimulus Plan

I'm in Boston this week for work, and besides it being the most frigid two days I've ever spent in March, I was excited to learn that it's restaurant week in Boston. This means that many of the more well-known (and pricier) restaurants offer a prix-fixe menu for a mere $33.09.

Last night, we went to Terramia, a quaint Italian restaurant in Boston's North End and it was delicious. Tonight, we went to Stephanie's on Newbury. Let's just say I'm stuffed.

I wish other cities, like Raleigh, would do something like this. It's such a great way to sample the menu, especially at restaurants you might not otherwise visit because it's too extravagant. But I feel that people might drop $33.09 to taste creations from a well-talked-about chef. And what a great way to stimulate the economy - and your tastebuds.

I'm all about food. Especially good food. And I defintely had some good eatin' up here. If only this trend would catch on down south...

Why, oh why?

I'm a few days late, but it's taken that long for me to even open my computer and face the harsh reality of Wake Forest's defeat.

I'm at a loss for words. My previous post talks about how we totally bit it in the ACC tourney, but I really thought the team would pull it together for the big dance. But, alas. Jeff Teague failed to play with any passion and the team as a whole couldn't make a shot to save it's place in the tournament. I've never even heard of Cleveland State before. Now I'll never forget them.

I've heard from several people that Wake has totally busted their brackets. But I knew this would happen. Following Wake basketball for the last nine years has taught me never to get my hopes up. It happened with Chris Paul. It happened with Jeff Teague. And I suspect it will happen next year again.

Oh, it's so hard to be a Wake fan.

Fifty People One Question

A small production company, Crush + Lovely, put together this montage of people in Brooklyn. They interviewed fifty people and asked them all the same question and filmed their response. I thought the production was very lovely, but an added bonus is that my sister, who lives in Brooklyn, was interviewed for the project and chosen for the final cut.

She's the very last person to be interviewed, before the film fades to white.

The question everyone was asked: If you could choose to wake up anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you want to wake up?

Unfortunately, the site won't let me link the video directly into Blogger, so you'll need to click below to view. It's definitely worth the five minutes of your time.

Fifty People Video

Wake Forest is dead to me

How does a nationally ranked basketball team (No. 8 in the AP Poll) and a top team in one of the toughest conferences in the nation (No. 2 in the ACC) lose its first game of the tournament? By 11 points? To a team we beat in the regular season?

Wake does this every year. We finish strong in the regular season and then we choke in the tournaments. Of course, I'll be cheering my heart out for them on Friday, but sometimes it's so hard to be a Wake fan.

On a similar note, how does Carolina get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, when Duke had a better overall record than them, AND won the ACC tournament? Meanwhile, Duke is stuck with a No. 2 seed. Carolina has this halo effect with the NCAA officials and, frankly, there would be nothing I would like better than to see Carolina go out like they did against FSU on Saturday. Yes, I said that out loud.

Hey, it's March Madness. And nothing gets me more mean-spirited like a little friendly competition.

Four dog night

Perhaps as a reaction to all the baby-fever going on, Scott and I have decided to adopt a dog. We've opted not for a pedigree, but for a rescued dog. So we've been visiting a few pounds and shelters and seeing what might be the best fit for us.

We came upon an organization in Wake Forest, NC that houses several strays and abandoned dogs and found four dogs on their website that we'd like to meet. So we filled out an application and e-mailed it in. That was four days ago. No word yet.

According to the website, they will review your application and then get back to you within a week to schedule an appointment to come see the dogs. If you don't hear from them in a week, then you can assume that your appliation has been denied. Since it's now been four days without a peep, I'm thinking that we may have been denied.

What's crazy about this is that we're not asking to adopt a child, for which an application and background check would be entirely appropriate. We are asking to adopt a dog. Who used to live on a street. Who has no home. And is a dog. Come on, people.

Where I work, there are several homeless people who stand on the corner, asking for money. Last summer, one of the homeless men found a stray dog and took it in as his own. When you passed by this man, you could tell that he truly cared for this dog and treated him like a companion. He would give it water and he propped up an umbrella to keep the dog shaded. You would see him petting the dog and showing it affection.

A few days later, we heard on the news that a couple came by and took his dog from him because they felt sorry for the dog. They didn't think that it was right that a dog should live under those conditions. I would see this man for days afterwards, with a sign asking for his dog back. There are two things that irked me - and still do - about this story.

First, someone stole something from this man. I don't care who this couple was, or that the dog's owner was homeless - no one has the right to steal anything from anyone. The dog wasn't abused or in danger. He had become someone's pet. The man is homeless - at least let him have his dignity and companionship.

Second, the couple saved a dog, but didn't do anything to help this homeless man. The couple felt sorry enough for a dog to "rescue" it, but didn't feel sorry enough for a human being to rescue him. Did they give this man money or food or bring him to a shelter? No. But they did for the dog.

What kind of society have we become, when we value the life of a dog over that of our own species?

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em

With the recent state of the economy, this twitter was, er, tweeted:


Or you can by a share of Citigroup and have change left over for a small McDonald's coffee. I'm thankful that my husband and I have a steady jobs right now. If only I could just stomach the fast plummet of our savings and 401(k)s.

Maybe it's safer to invest in fries...if only I didn't give that up for Lent!

A beautiful day for having a baby

With the deluge of pregnancies comes the deluge of little babies. Some of my friends have already started birthing, and the latest addition is little Chase Matthew Bevacqua. He is absolutely adorable and already looks a lot like his daddy!

Congratulations to Elizabeth and Chris! You make very cute babies...

When politicians do stupid things

A West Virginia delegate, Jeff Eldridge, wants to ban Barbie from the state. He's trying to pass legislation to stop sales of Barbie dolls in West Virginia. His reasoning is that toys, with the emphasis on Barbie dolls, have a tendency to glorify physical beauty over brains and leaves young girls with negative body issues. I have two comments on this:

1) How about we try to pass legislation to SAVE THE ECONOMY.
2) Why are girls treated like delicate creatures?

Yeah, yeah. I realize that there probably is some kind of issue with body image when we open magazines or look at too-thin models. But, come on. No matter what, women are always going to have some sort of body issues because that's part of evolution. We have to look good to attract a mate. And brains play a part, too.

But why aren't we passing legislation to ban sales of wrestling action figures? Why aren't we concerned about the negative body issues that poses for young boys? After all, they are never going to get abs that ripped.

Maybe all this emphasis on trying to protect us poor, helpless women only adds to the problem. Because of Eldridge, we think that Barbie is causing body image issues, and that makes us more sensitive to our own body. I'm not saying we ignore real issues that might be out there, but let's not make them worse.

And if we are, then let's do it for both genders, because those real issues don't just affect women.

Coffee bean dream

What I look for in musicians is generosity. There is so much to learn from each other and about each other's culture. Great creativity begins with tolerance.

--Yo-Yo Ma, Cellist

How true, indeed. Our minds cannot be open to creative ideas unless it is open to life, and that includes being open to all of life's inhabitants. And what better way to judge tolerance - and, for that matter, acceptance - than by measuring generosity.

When celebrities do stupid things

First, Michael Phelps got photographed smoking the bong. Then A-Rod admitted to using drugs. And now Chris Brown is beating up his girlfriend. When are celebrities going to realize that they can't do stupid things anymore?

A spokesperson for Billboard records speculates that Chris Brown's career is now over. And while what Chris Brown did was terrible, I find that kind of interesting that beating your girlfriend can end your career.

After all, celebrities do drugs and their careers are fine. They can shave their heads and take a bat to their ex-husband's car and no one bats an eye. Cheat on their taxes and their significant others and face no consequences. They can even kill another man and their records sell more than ever. But beat your girlfriend...that's just too far.

Maybe part of it is our culture - men don't hit girls. And perhaps, because of that, what Chris Brown is unforgivable in fans' eyes. Don't get me wrong - I'm in no way justifying what he has done and I agree that Chris Brown's records and bank account should face a terrible consequence as a result. I just find it a bit amusing that the public has reacted so vehemently to this crime, when it tends to turn a blind eye to others. But it also makes me wonder how this reflects the way we think of women in our society - as vulnerable and needing protection.

Rihanna is a victim, no doubt. But I hope she doesn't fall into the annals of stupid-dom, as well. After all, if she chooses to go back to Chris Brown, to forget his past acts of violence and become his girlfriend again, then I think fans should react in kind. She has a chance to be a role model and stand up for other victims in her plight; I just hope she isn't stupid and screw it up.

UPDATE: Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together. They are both idiots.

A bit of the macabre

Along with the whole "living green" trend comes the "dying green" trend. This is one that I've heard about for some years and I completely agree with. In fact, when I die, I don't want to be cremated or preserved forever in some coffin. Just stick me in a burlap sack and plant a tree on top of me. What better way to poetically demostrate the circle of life.

But it appears that, in recent years, the dying green trend has really boomed. Now you can be cremeated in a cardboard box, which reduces the harmful emissions into the atmosphere when burned. Or you can be formed into a new coral reef, where fish can live among you and loved ones can visit during scuba diving trips.

For those with no intention of dying just yet, you can still recycle and feed your quirkiness at the same time. Coffin Couches takes unused or damaged coffins and renovates them into couches. At $3,500 each, they are not for the faint of heart (or wallet), but can add that touch of class to a tatoo parlor or celebrity's house. I would consider purchasing one, but none of the ones showcased on the website quite go with my Pottery Barn-like decor. I can already see the gears rolling in some producers' heads for a new show on TLG or HGTV: Pimp My Coffin.

And with the green movement underway, what network can resist?

Girl Power

I heard an interesting tidbit the other day:

For the first time in history, women are about to be the majority in the work force in about a month. This is according to analysts who have been looking at patterns and industries effected by job cuts. More men have recently been laid off due to the nature of the jobs/industries (e.g. manufacturing, labor, etc.) whereas women tend to have jobs that are more representative of services or are working part-time.

So this got me thinking: if this is true, then I wonder if this will have bigger implications down the road, to the benefit of women. In the 1940s, women started to have a larger presence in the work force due to men being deployed overseas to fight WWII and I wonder if that later led to women having the confidence (and men realizing the value that women bring to the workforce) to assume larger roles and later, career paths. Now, if women are becoming the main breadwinners, I wonder if this will lead to an increase in gender equality and pay in the workforce. Perhaps this is the silver lining to the economic crisis we're in - closing the remaining gap between women and men, at least when it comes to careers, especially in upper management which seems to be dominated by men.

Regardless, I think now is a good time to remember that women are classifed as minority group under the law. And this means that women need to help one another, especially when it comes to boosting one another's careers and helping one another rise to upper management positions. No one is more critical than a woman, especially of other women, myself included. But we need to support one another, champion one another so we can become more powerful and confident.

Yes, we should do this for everyone, regardless of gender. But we should especially do this for our own and help one another become the very best a woman can be.

Hope doesn't just belong to America

It also belongs to Zimbabwe. Today, Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition-party's leader, officially became Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, in a power-sharing agreement that he and Mugabe signed some time back.

I really hope that Tsvangirai can bring some peace, aid and resources to this country and its people. At the very least, I hope that he can stop the cholera outbreak and be able to treat the more than 65,000 people who are infected. And I hope that power doesn't go to his head, that he remembers the struggle, tyranny and fear that Mugabe and inflicted upon this country.

But Mugabe is still the President of Zimbabwe, so I suspect that it will be some time before we start to see some positive movement. After all, he's trying to fund his 85th birthday bash by soliciting donations from people (who in their right mind would fund this thing, I don't know).

While 65,000 of his people suffer from cholera (with 4,000 already dead), another 5 million of his people in need of food aid, and with his economy enjoying a 1,593% annual inflation rate, Mugabe's donation list includes the following:

• 2,000 bottles of champagne
• 8,000 lobsters
• 4,000 portions of cavier
• 8,000 boxes of Ferrero Rocher chocolates
• 3,000 ducks
• 100 kg prawn

Is anyone else but me sick to their stomachs?

Eat a doughnut and run

Saturday marked the 5th annual Krispy Kreme Challenge, sponsored by NC State University. The objective of the challenge is simple:

• Run the 2 miles from the NC State belltower to the local Krispy Kreme


• Eat a dozen glazed doughnuts


• Run the 2 miles back to the NC State belltower


• Do not throw up

The winner did all this is 28:09. This means he ate 12 doughnuts in 5 minutes. If you participate as a challenger and complete the challenge (you must finish in under an hour to be eligible), you get a free t-shirt. Now, you can compete as a casual runner, which means you can eat as many doughnuts as you like, but you don't get a free t-shirt.

Scott and I did our part to support the runners by waiting at the Krispy Kreme with one doughnut (each) and coffee in hand, cheering on the contenders. Over 5,000 people participated, and ESPN was on the scene, so it was pretty amazing to see. Plus, the funny costumes added to the liveliness. One guy was dressed in a full-out tuxedo. Another pair of friends were dressed as Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts coffee cups. Still others decided to run in nothing but a Speedo.

The truly amazing thing is how this story got picked up. My parents, in southern IL, read about the race on the second page of their newspaper. I guess when there are doughnuts involved, people pay attention.

All proceeds benefit the NC Children's Hospital, so it's all good fun for a good cause. Maybe next year we'll take a stab at the race...as a casual runner.

Latte Wisdom

On my Starbucks latte cup this morning, I came across this pearl of wisdom from "The Way I see It" series. This one is #129:

The first person to walk on Mars could be alive today. If so, she's most likely two years old and living in China.

--Andrew Zolli, Futurist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer

The sad thing is, he's probably right. We need to light a fire under our collective American arses and start getting excited about math and science. We're losing the battle and it's more than just national pride - it's about educating our children properly. While children in other parts of the world are learning math and science concepts and longing to get higher degress in these subjects, our children are watching TV or reading up on Jessica Simpson's weight battle. No wonder the Chinese our beating us in the economy and brains. We just don't care any more.

Maybe we need another space race. A race to Mars, perhaps. Something to join us as a nation and get kids and teenagers excited about learning and education.

Down Goes the Devil

Making another run for #1, Wake pulled off a fantastic win over Duke last night. If you missed the game, you missed one of the most exciting basketball battles so far this year. Wake came out strong, leading Duke at the half and for most of the second, before Duke started to pull up.

And then there were seconds left on the clock and Duke was down by two. Duke goes in for a three point shot (we held our breath) and missed. The rebound came straight towards Johnson, one of our guards, who just stood there. I swear he wasn't paying attention. He totally missed the opportunity and Duke snagged the rebound and put it in to tie us, 68-68.

Our ball, with just seconds left on the clock. Johnson redeems himself with a shot that just slid in (we held our breath). 0.8 seconds left and it's over. Won by 2 points and Duke goes down from the podium.

Our boys played fast and strong and, while Virginia Tech did hand us our first loss last week, I think we rebounded nicely. If we keep playing like this, we're sure to be first seed in the tourney.

Maybe this is the year.

Praise Song

I watched the inauguration on an airport TV, with twenty of us huddled around, straining to listen to the din and speeches over the tinny airport speaker. Until one lady found CNBC on her blackberry and put it on speaker and then we craned our ears to the small phone, eyes glued to the TV. And then we boarded the plane and hurried to find the channels on our personal TVs to watch the parade and the show of emotion between the Obamas.

What we didn't see, perhaps because we were distracted by our flight delay, was the inaugural poem by Elizabeth Alexander. So I found it the transcript online and I really like the poem, or praise song. As I found out last night, as I watched Elizabeth on the Colbert Report, a praise song is a west African form of celebration. What I like is that, while it is clearly celebrating the inauguration and the historic event of it, it really can be applied to many situations in which there was struggle and achievement.

Praise song for the day.

Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each others' eyes or not, about to speak or speaking. All about us is noise. All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din, each one of our ancestors on our tongues. Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair.

Someone is trying to make music somewhere with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.

A woman and her son wait for the bus.

A farmer considers the changing sky; A teacher says, "Take out your pencils. Begin."

We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; words to consider, reconsider.

We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of someone and then others who said, "I need to see what's on the other side; I know there's something better down the road."

We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we cannot yet see.

Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of.

Praise song for struggle; praise song for the day. Praise song for every hand-lettered sign; The figuring it out at kitchen tables.

Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."

Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.

What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national. Love that casts a widening pool of light. Love with no need to preempt grievance.

In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light.

Little Baby B

This weekend I jaunted up to Connecticut to see Elizabeth, my college roommate. She is among the gaggle of friends who have lately decided to take the baby plunge and I wanted to see her in all her pregnant glory.

There were two parts of the visit that were amazing to me: first, that there was this little person growing inside of Elizabeth. Yeah, we've all learned about the "Miracle of Life" and from what little experience I've had with it, it truly is a miracle and a wonder that these two people - these two cells - come together to form a whole new human being. But that was somewhat abstract to me until I actually saw Elizabeth's belly and felt that whole new human being inside. To think that this little person - whom I felt hiccup and kick and move - will one day be running and climbing things and interacting with people is truly amazing.

The second part was seeing Elizabeth in a whole new way. This is my college roommate, the person I shared a life with for two years, with whom I had balloon swordfights, picked out the perfect frat party outfit, ate together at The Pit - and now she's all grown up and a mother. To see that transformation was really special.

Thank you to Elizabeth, Chris and Lilly for hosting me this weekend and allowing me to be a part of such a special time in your lives! No, I'm not getting any ideas, but I feel so blessed to be a part of something much bigger than anyone.

Believe

The rankings just came out today and, according to both polls, Wake Forest is ranked the number one team in the nation for basketball! We are the only unbeaten basketball team right now, and I hope that remains true through this week, although we do have two tough games coming up - Virgina Tech and Duke. We're a passionate team, though, and with this little boost, I hope we can give them both a good fight.

This is a great testament to the basketball program at Wake and the spirit of this young team. I've always been proud to be a Demon Deacon, but this week, I'm just glowing!

Let's go Deacons!

Long live whitey

As inauguration day draws nearer, we're hearing reports of how the Secret Service and the government are preparing for the big day - primarily against any kind of attempt on the life of our President-elect. While I'm sure such measures are always taken on Inauguration Day, this time it's even more important as this will be our very first black President.

The fear is that white supremacists will be looking to prevent Obama from taking office. Ever since election night, there has been a spike of chatter among these groups and while no formal plan seems to yet exist to assassinate Obama, who knows what may be lurking under the radar?

I find it absolutely amazing that white supremacy still exists in this country. Sure, I know that there is racism and prejudice, but at such a level where you are planning to fly the American flag upside down on Inauguration Day seems like a scene from the 1950s. Do these people really exist? And how could they live in our society, work in our businesses and hold these beliefs? The mainstream America seems to be past extreme hatred and racism, so how can you live in this American culture and still hold on to a such terrible and antiquidated belief system?

Reminds me of an old Tupac song:

I see no changes all I see is racist faces
misplaced hate makes disgrace to races
We under I wonder what it takes to make this one better place, let's erase the wasted
Take the evil out the people they'll be acting right
'cause both black and white is smokin' crack tonight
and only time we chill is when we kill each other
it takes skill to be real, time to heal each other
And although it seems heaven sent
We ain't ready, to see a black President...

I think we are ready. And maybe having a black President will cause these fringe groups to see the truth about us as an American people and a human race. I really hope that, if this presidency does nothing else, it eliminates whatever racism that exists in this country that I just fail to comprehend.

How 'bout them Deacons?

Sunday night was the big game between Wake Forest and UNC-Carolina. And, what a game! It was close the entire time, with Wake staying ahead pretty much the whole time, pulling out a 3-point win! It was exhilirating to watch Wake play and to put all those critics' noise to rest about Carolina being the best team in the nation. With a record of 0-2 in the ACC, it looks like Carolina may have been hyped up a bit.

Of course, anything can happen at any game.

But it's nice to be able to gloat a bit. Wake has always been strong in basektball, but this year proves to be exciting with a talented team. And with no Seniors on the team, we know these boys will be around for a few more years.

Go Deacs!

Pay to play

I know, I know. I'm obsessed with Zimbabwe. I can't explain the fixation I have with the country and Mugabe's dicatatorship. And I realize that, by getting my information from American news sources, I may not be considering all sides of the story.

But I also believe that America has a free press and, because of that, I trust the information that I get from it. Zimbabwe's press, however, is not free. And now they are charging exorbinantly high prices for foreign journalists to work in the country. You wouldn't charge people to report if you had nothing to hide.

This, from CNN.com:

HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- The Zimbabwean government has announced restrictive licensing fees for foreign journalists working in the country, demanding they pay an annual fee of $4,000 to practice journalism.

In addition foreign media groups must pay $10,000 for the application and $20,000 for accreditation, payable only in foreign currency, the government-controlled Media and Information Commission said Wednesday. An administration fee of $2,000 is necessary for the permit.

Zimbabwe has some of the harshest conditions for journalists in the world. Several foreign and local journalists have been arrested in Zimbabwe for lack of accreditation since a media law was passed in 2002.

Most Western media organizations including CNN are banned from Zimbabwe. Those that do still operate there including Reuters, The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Al Jazeera would have to pay the fee if they wanted to report from the country.

Zimbabwean government spokesman George Charamba said the fee was being introduced because foreign media organizations were "reducing local reporters to mere runners."

The new fees do not apply to journalists working for Zimbabwean organizations...

When we visited the Newseum last month, there was this great wall mural that depicted how free the press was in each country of the world. Those countries that had a completely free press were also democracies and developed countries (US, Canada, Western Europe, etc). Those who had somewhat free presses were developing countries without any major world issues going on (Russia, Brazil, etc). Those that had no free press were those countries and geographies riddled with strife (much of Africa, China, Middle East).

I haven't studied this issue so I can't say there is a causation. But the correlation seems pretty clear. That speaks volumes for the power of the pen, the power of free thought and dissent, and the power of knowledge.

A pot of gold

The weather yesterday was sunny and warm, a balmy 55 degrees in January. And then, around 4:00pm, a very ominous looking cloud system started to creep over the sky. By 4:30pm, it was raining hard and by 6:00pm it was hailing.

But there was a break between the hard rain and the hail, and as I was driving home (travelling east, into the storm system), the sun peeked out for a small while. And there, to my right, was a fully formed rainbow. A few minutes later, another fully formed rainbow appeared, right above it. A double bow.

What I find funny is that we know exactly how rainbows are formed...refraction of light from the water particles. But even though we know this, it's a spectacle that still catches us by surprise and causes us to be happy. It's still a very magical scene, maybe because it doesn't happen that often, and it's easy to see why people once believed it was the work of pointy-eared leprechauns who planted a pot of gold at the end.

But maybe the rainbow, itself, is the pot of gold. What a beautiful surprise at the end of the day.

Holidays on Ice, Part 2

Happy New Year!

It's crazy to think that another year has started...where has the time gone? But I'm excited about this new year - a fresh start for new convictions and new ideas. Both politically and personally, I'm interested to see where 2009 will bring us.

We started off the New Year by applying for the Darwin awards. Scott and I jaunted up to Galena, IL with Abby and Nathan and spent the week being pulled and whipped around in a saucer sled by a six-wheeler. There were a few crashings into trees and thorns, a few flings into the lake (which were frozen solid, fortunately) and a few tumbles (no cracked bones, fortunately). As always, a lot of fun, although it was so, so cold. I never knew my sinuses could hurt from the cold.

So here's to safe journeys and safer activities in the future...and to a happy and health New Year!