Asian Invasion and the Method To My Madness

Long time no see, right? I’d like to say I’ve been accomplishing great things, but I really don’t do that anymore. I just kind of exist. But you know how I am. I get obsessed by something and it’s all that I do. I discovered that I really like Korean dramas. Of course on the outside it just looks like I find hot young Korean guys and become a creepy stalker, but in all honesty there is a little more depth to me than that. I watched one series called City Hunter, where the South Korean President and some of the highest ranking government officials and big business owners betray a group of special forces and shoot them in the water leaving the explanation as to what happened a bit hazy. Unfortunately for them, one guy lived and he’s pissed off about the betrayal. He decides to avenge the deaths by kidnapping the baby of one of the men who had been shot in the secret mission and raising him to become an ultimate fighter in every sense. I am the wife of a Trekkie and one of the wisest things that came out of Gene Rodenberry’s mind was the oft spoken mantra of Spock: “The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few or the one.” Isn’t that just the truest thing ever? The problem with that is who gets to decide what is the cause great enough that people should die for it? In City Hunter, these people are truly corrupt and motivated by money and power. But the vigilante is filled with hatred and vengeance. He uses an innocent child to exact revenge but he’s not honest with him. The boy grows to manhood and is just another casualty in this insane war as is his mother who not only lost her husband but her baby. Evil guy doesn’t count on the fact that this man he’s grooming isn’t as blood thirsty. He can bring the men down but he does it by exposing their corruption. The President is last and his motives for covering up his past crimes are not as corrupt. He wants people to be able to afford an education and he needs then to hold off long enough to pass the law. No one escapes unscathed, and you have to stop and think about S. Korean democracy which is relatively new to democracy. The history of South Korea formally begins with the establishment of South Korea on 15 August 1948. Are they more appreciative of their freedom? We aren’t. We abuse them and we are so disrespectful and uninformed. I also just finished Hong Gil Dong which is a sort of Robin Hood tale. I think that if you were to put all of the wealthy (noble, in this show) and the middle class/poor (peasants, in the show) on an even playing field, you would still end up with the class separation. It’s inevitable, but if there WAS a perfect world, it wouldn’t be about wealthy and poor. The key to success as a country is the realization that wealthy OR poor, people are the same. Wealth doesn’t equal superiority. Under the law and the president, every citizen is equal. The question is what will they stoop to, to become wealthy and powerful? This is my problem with Mitt Romney. He’s ruthless and he is out of touch with the reality of the “commoners”. There has to be a leader but the citizens must have a voice and we don’t. Out senators and congressmen don’t represent us. In most cases they love the power more than they love the people they represent. I’m not certain that there can be a president that can keep every promise he makes. I think they must choose their battles, but when they have to disappoint the few to help the many, why do they do it? Do they mean well? I believe Obama means well. I believe that he strives to be fair and keep his promises but his hands are tied. Mitt Romney is out of touch with the peasants  His motives are NOT pure and in the end, the world cannot change overnight but it can change if our leaders work together. We could learn so much from South Korea. But will we? I think not.. I think that we are unwilling to support change. It’s so sad that we are so far oblivious and a fledgling country's democracy that we helped gain their freedom has surpassed us in so many ways.

I'm pretty sure...

You have no clue where my blog is but I never lied. I did nothing more than I said I did. Bravo if you manage to track this down :)

MUST. READ.

I wish every person in the world would read the blog entry that I'm about to post. It's so amazingly true and the answer to world peace. I don't for one moment believe that I am perfect. I needed this as much as ANYONE in the whole world. Please read it and pass it along. I'm Christian, unless you're gay. I hope that everyone can look past the title. I'm not homophobic, but I'm angry, judgmental, and a hater. I know this. I want to be better.

Tis the season

If you are a regular here at the Patch you know that every year I wax poetic on one of my favorite things in the world. My annual performance of Handel's Messiah. It's the 71st performance in Cedar City. Not one year have they skipped doing it. Christmas is so commercial and when the economy is troublesome (even if it isn't) there's so much materialistic stress.  My favorite part of the season is singing in the Messiah. Our orchestra along with the Messiah chorale perform it as Handel intended it to be; free of charge. I never have the words to express how humbling it is to sing the words from the Bible that chronicle the events leading up to the birth, the ministry, the crucifixion, and the resurrection of Christ. Powerful words. Yet my ultimate amazement lies in the pure genius of Handel. He brings life to the words, he paints a picture. He uses every nuance of every instrument in the orchestra, every section of the chorale, and every soloist. I do this every year because it truly is the best part of the year for me, hands down.

In the past I've talked about Adrianne Tawa, our choir instructor. She's amazing and for the experience of learning from her, alone, makes it all the more worthwhile. Then we are handed over to Xun Sun (maestro AND doctor) who truly is astounding but the real show is watching him conduct us. Never have I seen such joy in a person. How can it NOT be the best experience ever??

Here's some of the music from last year's performance:


Isn't he amazing? How can you NOT feel pure joy performing with this man???

The reason for the season.

TRADITION!!!!!!!

My little fam has traditions that we've built from the birth of my children. My oldest is 17 and amazingly is speaking of marriage. Her boyfriend brought it up very hypothetically but.. YIKES! She's enrolled in two colleges on top of high school and she's not that little girl who named her first doll Crunchy. My distance from my other family played out here in the Patch. I'm no longer angry at anyone and I actually see things more clearly. It's come as a shock that I won't be spending Christmas Eve at my mom's house. I'm not sure why because I thought I was clear. We all have families and I am looking at two young women who will be making THEIR own traditions too (you've experienced my youngest. She's my blog high jacker).

I've bought them an ornament for each year of their existence. When they marry they will take them for their own trees and hopefully tell their children the story behind each. Perhaps they will put a pickle ornament on THEIR tree for their kids to find to see who opens the extra gift. I believe they will kneel in prayer, thanking God for the gift of his son and that we not forget HIM as we take turns opening gifts. Will they read their kids "Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa." to keep the magic alive when someone else tries to take it away? Will they leave anonymous gifts on the porch for the 12 days of Christmas, knocking, running and hiding, and as they get older biffing it in the snow as THEIR children step over them and keep running? How many of our traditions will they take with them?

What I really wonder as I enter into the second decade of headache from hell is will I be here to find out? Time will tell.

GOP insanity

Just going to share an exchange from Facebook. Names are hidden to protect the identity of the people who commented:

Moi: The GOP race is THE most entertaining thing on the planet. Rick Perry with the major crash and burn moment and the unfortunately named rock at the hunting lodge dropped him in the polls. Michelle Bachmann is just Michelle Bachmann and has been pronounced dead. Herman Cain's increasing list of indiscretions (to be polite) has only been outdone by his complete brain freeze about Libya and then there's Newt Gingrich with his problems too many to list. So one asks oneself... "Self?? Where is Mitt Romney? A flip flopping Mormon is worse that all if the above??? Oh, dear...."


Female friend: We will disagree on this, but I think learning by experience is not flip flopping. I think some things are turned


into negatives when the are really positives. I am not speaking on actual events in some cases, but in general ones.


What I thought: YOU disagree because I'm talkingWhat I said: But he's behind in the polls... WHY??? O_o That's so insane :


What I said: But he's behind in the polls... WHY??? O_o That's so insane :

Male friend: the world unfortunately will not vote in a Mormon we are too weird in their view,but a balck man from africa is ok to be our president hmmmm

That's not possible. You have to be an American citizen to run for President of the US.Moi (note the sarcasm): That's not possible. You have to be an American citizen to run for President of the US.

Moi pretending I'm stupid so these people comprehend me.. Or do they???: Ohhhh you mean Obama!!! LOL! I've campaigned for him for years. Only weird racist birthers believe that old story.

So, according to the last commenter on my status, people think we're weird but we aren't. We are stupid and racist.. Yeah dude, don't help me!!

OMG! STUPID STUPID STUPID PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just read this one Facebook:

Rob Young's Photos

Look at this lady - Let us never forget!
The world hasn't just become wicked...it's always been wicked. The
prize doesn't always go to the most deserving.

During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an 'ulterior motive'. She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews (being German). Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack, (for larger kids). She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises. During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants. She was caught, and the Nazi's broke both her legs, arms and beat her severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it and reunited the family. Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted. Last year Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected. President Obama won one year before becoming President for his work as a community organizer for ACORN and Al Gore won also --- for a slide show on Global Warming. In MEMORIAM - 63 YEARS LATER I'm doing my small part by forwarding this message. I hope you'll consider doing the same.. It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended. This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated! Now, more than ever, with Iran , and others, claiming the HOLOCAUST to be 'a myth'. It's imperative to make sure the world never forgets, because there are others who would like to do it again.

By: Rob Young

The story about Irena is true, however there ARE problems with it:

1. There is no way of knowing if she was nominated. The names of nominees are kept secret for 50 years. 

2. Yes, this story came out originally to discredited Al Gore by saying that the prize was lost to him in 2007. Obama had nothing to do with it.

3. I'll just paste my response to this post here:

SERIOUSLY???? Obama is responsible for an anti-Nazi heroine NOT winning one of TEN Nobel prizes awarded every year??? I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that this is further evidence that he's a Nazi??? What an amazing woman. I wonder if she'd be SO proud to know that her story is being used to denigrate a man that Hitler would have SHOT for his skin color?? 100 overall Nobel Prizes have been awarded, 10 Nobel Peace Prizes. Anyone ever wonder why American's aren't in charge of it??? THIS is why!


Update: 
I followed up with this:
Okay, that one was sooo crazy I decided it was blog worthy which meant I had to know the facts. Research (and Wiki doesn't count) IF she was nominated, it was in 2007 according to the first appearance of the story and that would be before President Obama won but the same year the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won. BUT there's no way to know if she lost to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Al Gore or not. The names of the nominees are kept secret for 50 years. There's absolutely no way to prove she was even a nominee unless you torture one of the Nobel Prize Judges. 

The beginning of the end of normal childhood...

Kids are bored.. If there was no batteries, power cords, etc. whatever shall they do?? Even the finest thing ever invented is being phased slowly out.. The book.
But this is one of the things that really bugs me most. What has happened to our playground equipment??

There was a slide like this in my hometown and at my elementary school. I remember one accident. At recess, a  boy who hadn't tied his shoes got the lace caught at the top of the slide and fell. I don't remember any other serious accidents in my time growing up with these slides.

This was called the Ocean Wave at our school. The pic I found called it the witches hat and we had one of those too. This isn't it. I don't recall bad accidents on this but I'm sure children doing stupid things got hurt.

THIS was the witches hat. I remember no accidents in my time playing there, in elementary school.

We had this in my hometown playground but the handles were smaller, like this:

The problem with the strider is that if someone let go, their chain would swing free and you could get beaned. It's bad form not to yell out letting others know there was a rogue chain.

See? Mind the rules, use common sense and you have fun equipment. OR stay in the house and play on the Wii. Wear the strap, though, because you can let the remote slip and injure someone in the room.

If the truth shall set you free, GW got an arm lose.

Last night was the BIG MOMENT. George W. Bush, sits down and talks about 9/11. I felt a bit nostalgic as I like the little whisker but dang! Just spill it!! President Obama hasn't brought charges and I'm kind of doubting he ever will but is this supposed to be cathartic for you or us??

It was great to see him fully disclose that they were warned over a month in advanced and did nothing to protect us. Spilled milk.

I was glad to hear that he was about to get his pets into a safe shelter with Laura because America's number one priority was the FIRST DOG AND CAT!! NOT!!! It was also a bit classless showing the footage of him talking to the first responders with his arm slung around the fireman's shoulder as if they'd be friends for life instead of 'dying of cancer from toxic fumes who?'. Him saying that when they kept saying they couldn't hear him he said but I will always hear you. History will record who made those promises then who came through with them. (Including Jon Stewarts MAJOR role in that). History will record who promised to never stop searching yet never STARTED searching. Not in the right place and he knew it, he lied to us. He lied to families of first responders who died then or from complications. He lied to the people in those buildings and in those planes. He lied to the men that fought for something they thought was worth dying for. He lied to all of us.

I'm proud of him for allowing for some of his lies. I believe deep down he is a good man but this came too late. He should have stood beside President Obama at Ground Zero when our troops risked everything to make good on Bush's promise. God Bless our troops!! THEY DID IT!

There will always be debates on who was the worst president in history. Tricky Dick? Clinton? They lied to us too. Maybe they all do. But the lives that were lost because of this man's lies... Such a waste. We've yet to recover and never will unless we unite. He could have helped with that too, last night. He chose not to.

I don't envy the task of being president. I don't envy the burden he must live with. I truly don't believe that he is a bad man. I believe he's human and tried to do right things. I wish him happiness now. I wish him peace.



National Geographic-George W. Bush: The 9/11 Interview