By:
On:
In: Fun Facts
Tagged: ,

In The Advocate online the morning, one of the editorials ended with a -30-. That’s unusual. Usually, the -30- gets edited out before the article goes to press or gets loaded up online. It made me nostalgic for my journalism days. I don’t recall if my journalism teachers ever said exactly why you’re supposed to end an article with -30-. So, using the handy dandy internet, I looked it up. According to this nifty article from the American Journalism Review, no one knows how the tradition got started and what it symbolizes, but there are some neat speculations. Maybe my teacher just didn’t care toRead More →

By:
On:
In: This is my life?
Tagged: ,

Some of the key sites we saw in Dublin include the Guinness Storehouse, which was a fairly fantastic place. As expected, it walks the tourist through the stages of making Guinness. There is a taste-test room where you can get a shot of Guinness (I skipped the shot), and then there is a rooftop bar filled with tourists drinking the brew. From the 360 degree room of the bar, you can see just about every little bit of Dublin and then some beyond. We also saw the Book of Kells at Trinity College, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Christ Church. Christ Church has a huge collectionRead More →

By:
On:
In: This is my life?
Tagged: ,

Well, Ireland was a blast. Newgrange and Tara was the highlight of the trip. The drive through the countryside along the Boyne River was just beautiful. Johnny Cash wrote that Ireland had 40 shades of green, a song that we learned about from one of the hop on hop off bus drivers. It was great to get out of the city (which wasn’t so green) and into the countryside to -see- what the Emerald Isle was all about. Newgrange was exciting. I’m always excited by visiting ancient sites like that. They are so full of mystery. Some great pics of Newgrange can be seen hereRead More →

By:
On:
In: Gratitudes
Tagged: ,

1. 3-day holiday weekends. 2. The niece is coming home this weekend for what she calls “extended” (i.e., the extended weekends that they get kicked out of the dorms and forced to visit their parents). 3. D&D on Saturday. ∞

By:
On:
In: Gratitudes, This is my life?
Tagged: , , ,

I’m going to Ireland tomorrow. I’m very excited about the trip. Anyway, here are some 3’s. Three Ireland Tours I plan to take 1. Mary Gibbons’ Tour of Newgrange 2. Viking Splash Tour of Dublin 3. Hop on Hop Off bus of Dublin Three things I bought for the trip: 1. Rain ponchos 2. Batteries for my mp3 player 3. Wetwipes to wash up with in the airport. Three things I hope to see while in Ireland: 1. The Book of Kells 2. Dublinia 3. The Dublin Castle Three things I’m grateful for: 1. Loritabs for a slightly pinched nerve 2. Chiropractors 3. Tiger’s balm

By:
On:
In: All Things Feminist, Politics
Tagged: , ,

War is hell for everyone involved. For women, this hell can be especially deep. Recruiters don’t tell those who enlist that 30% of military women will be sexually assaulted while serving. Women who work as contract employees in Iraq face similar dangers. Jamie Leigh Jones, a former Halliburton/KBR employee in Iraq, recently testified at a Congressional hearing that she was drugged and brutally gang-raped by her co-workers in 2005. Three years later, KBR and the military have failed to punish the perpetrators or provide redress for Jamie Leigh. We met Jamie Leigh in Washington and we were moved by her courage-under tremendous pressure-to speak outRead More →

By:
On:
In: Pop Culture, This is my life?
Tagged: , ,

Yesterday was a great Valentine’s day. I looked forward to it for two weeks and I wasn’t disappointed. First we woke up at 6:30 AM (gawd) and baked our usual v-day cookies. Then that evening we went out to eat steak at Ruth’s Chris steakhouse. Which was yummy. Last, we went to see another Bollywood movie, Jodhaa Akbar. Essentially, Jodhaa Akbar is a love story between the Muslim Mughal Emperor and his Hindi wife in 16th century India. It stars Aishwarya Rai, who I think is terribly beautiful. The movie was widely anticipated, and we didn’t get good seats because the theater was so full.Read More →

By:
On:
In: Politics
Tagged: , , ,

I am still torn between Hillary and Barack with only a handful of days to decide. Once I get to the poll, it will probably be a gut reaction which one I choose. Hillary has more experience, especially legislative experience, which is needed to get work done, but Barack represents something fresh and new, a new generation of politics, which appeals to me greatly. Hillary and Barack have gone for each others’ jugular during their campaigns.The bile spewed between the two has diminished the process, and reduced it to politics as usual rather elevated it to “something new,” which we desperately need. Perhaps by theRead More →

By:
On:
In: Gratitudes
Tagged: ,

1. My CD player in my car — I’m listening to books on CD again. It’s fun. 2. Netflix — I’m watching the Tudors with oh so sexy Johnathan Rhys Myers. 3. My Cats — They are so cute and cuddly. ∞