Politics and Opinions

Here is something that I want to say and say loudly. I am actually a little angry at the situation. Yesterday I sent out an e-mail telling people about the glassbooth website that I found, purely because I found it full of information, NOT because I was trying to tell people who to vote for-it could not have been construed as that in any way.
This morning I received an e-mail response from a family member telling me that she FELT that there was only one way to vote to help change our country. I was relatively okay with this, even though there was no elaboration as to what supported her thoughts. Then, this evening, I received an e-mail from another family member who informed me that:

"there is nothing hard about the choice we face.
Working people, this great country,
and the world have the future of all to consider.
Only Obama can give us a chance for a new future".

For some reason this 2nd e-mail just really ticked me off. It was like I was being told that there was no other way to vote. PERIOD. THAT'S IT. I felt like I was being told I was stupd for considering both candidates!
Living in the South, I have been surrounded by people forcing their Republican opinions down my throat day in and day out (except for my dad and step-mother). I have only found one other person who is willing to discuss the election instead of espousing Republican ideals and what's wrong with Obama. Now I'm getting the same thing from the North?! That is not okay. I have never tried to push my opinions about something like this on other people, so why do they feel the need to do this to me? I did not ask anyone's advice in my e-mail and I surely didn't ask to be told how to vote! The fact that I feel that I will be voting for Obama is beside the point! Every candidate has their strong points and their drawbacks and I am honestly trying to weigh both out to see which is more logical. That is all. Give me your opinion, yes, but don't force your ideas on me!

Luke Kalloch is FAMOUS

Yes, that's right, my brother has made another step in his walk of fame...his CD, "Carolane Acres" is now available on ITUNES for $9.99! How cool is that?! I just felt this moment needed documentation!

Becoming too Simple

I am afraid that I am becoming one of those people who only watches simple, funny media. I used to watch artsy films and get drawn in. I used to watch sad and depressing and feel the emotion. Now I watch movies that are all about the talk and end up wanting to fast forward or multi-task while I watch. Is my attention span getting shorter? Is my brain functioning on a lower level? Why is it that I am not nearly as interested in the artsy, wordy, and poignant films I used to love to watch? Maybe my life is getting complicated enough that I just am not drawn to anything that adds to that. I don't know. I feel like I am cheapening myself; like, maybe I need to go back to school to really get my brain working again. I don't want to be one of those people who watch movies for the stupid comedy or the big explosions. I don't want to be uncomfortable with watching conflict or annoying people...I'm not saying there's anything wrong with wanting to escape through movies in a simple way, it's just that media has always meant so much more to me...
Watch THE TV SET...it is everything I was afraid would happen to me if I actually went into the writing business...scary stuff...but life really does come down to morals or money sometimes...I'm glad I'm not there.
By the way, the movie really does have a great cast that carries off the sarcastic views really well. It is totally worth watching if you have the patience for it.

more election thoughts

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I know I'm still having trouble deciding between our two main presidential candidates. My heart is telling me one thing, but my head is telling me to be logical, to read up on everything I can, and to do what is RIGHT. Still, I think I might be making this too complicated because there is just so much someone like me can do when it comes to understanding all this stuff. So, in my research trying to find out what's right, wrong, true, or false I found this website that made it pretty cut and dry. It put things in some perspective at least. Not Surprisingly I identified best with the Green Party, but that's a bit of a no-go at this point.:) Try it, it's neat if nothing else:

GlassBooth.org

Lindsay Lohan & "Ugly Betty"

I'm not sure why I turned out the way I am. My mother was not a judgemental person. She taught me right from wrong, not to judge, to always be fair, to always be positive, and to NEVER use the word "Hate". I've pretty much stuck by these rules-or tried to-but sometimes there are things and people out there that just disgust me and I feel like there is no way for me to hold back. I have used the word Hate seriously twice in my life and it's really close to a 3rd time with Lindsay Lohan. I'm not sure what it is about her, but she just seems to represent everything that is wrong with Hollywood these days...she IS Hollywood in the most negative ways: going to rehab before the age of 21, being too skinny, partying all the time, boob jobs...everything that makes girls like me feel like there is something wrong with us...and then she continues to play all these roles where she plays the BITCH perfectly, which is not exactly the best role-model for kids who watch TV today.

"Ugly Betty" is one of my favorite TV shows because, despite making enough money to have a personal trainer now, America Ferrara really tries to help the world to see the beauty in everyone through this show. When they brought Lindsay Lohan on I was shocked that someone like her would be allowed on the show...when I started watching her on the show I was so disgusted I actually fast-forwarded through some parts of the 3rd episode she was in. UGH. I just really really dislike how mean she can be. She's so petty and materialistic and typical. She plays it so well it just doesn't seem like she could possibly be a nice person. And it's always so back-handed and sarcastic and covered by the innocent little scratchy voice she has! It makes me so sad that she is on such a great, uplifting show like "Ugly Betty". She doesn't deserve it.
Maybe all this means is that she is a good actor, but I Don't really care. I just DO NOT LIKE HER. Yuck.
Okay, that's my rant for the day. Yes, she really DOES make me this angry.

Cats...and sleep

After getting home from work at 1am this morning (the big boss is here today for our quarterly walk) I was too tired to even miss Robert when I climbed into bed...I was actually glad that he wasn't here because I could crawl into bed without a shower and not feel guilty because, hey, the cats don't care.:) I DID wash my feet, though, because Top Stock likes to sleep under the covers next to my feet. Sweetness took up her usual spot on my lefto get out of bed. Sandy eventually came in a laid down at my feet to keep them warm...and this is how I woke up this morning. side-blocking me from being able t I Love my cats. I Just wish that Jade would get along with the other girls well enough to sleep with me at night. She will take naps with me during the day, but I think she enjoys having the living room couches to herself at night. But, Jade makes up for her bed abandonment by greeting me happily wherever I go with her little nubby tail just a-waggin'. There is no way to explain how adorable it is to see that nub wag, but, take it from me, it's probably one of the cutest things EVER.:) I just giggle every time I see it. I can't seem to catch it on video and show what it's really all about, so you'll just have to take my word for it. Is it weird that I love my cats so much?

STOP-LOSS, the movie

By the way...this movie is totally worth watching, not only for its interesting content and plot, but because the cast is awesome. Aside from the fact that Ryan Phillipe can't do much of a Southern Accent, all the acting was just awesome. I loved seeing Joseph Gordon-Levitt back on the grid- he never has been given the credit that he deserves as an actor and he proved that in this movie. He is no longer that long haired alien boy from "3rd Rock From the Sun", that's for sure! Tatum whatshisname was a typical muscular army guy, but his emotional acting was very believable-along with the others. And this new girl, who is Australian, does a great Southern girl-with accent and all.
The plot of the film surprised me: after starting with the typical Army Movie montage at the beginning, the twists and turns of the plot and the characters will keep you guessing, cringing, and bring you to tears more than once. Be prepared for a drama, for sure, but it is a drama worth watching as long as you're not watching it with someone who is going to start espousing about the war and all that is wrong with it or the way the movie depicts it (this is why I watched it alone instead of with Robert).
I was really surprised the most by the fact that it was the Southern boy who was trying to get out of the whole Stop-Loss thing. Obviously, the writer and director had something to say about the military and its practices...bringing the Southern Boy-who is supposed to believe in this country with every ounce of their being-into this movie as the Runner...that is saying something! I liked the grittiness of the film and the cast. It seemed very real and I wouldn't be surprised if it has happened in this way so many times. I didn't really realized how many people must be AWOL at all times. Very interesting and totally worth the watch

STOP-LOSS, the Military, and the Presidency

I just finished watching this movie and have so many thoughts and feelings that I don't quite know where to start. I also happened to watch another war based movie the other day-DAY ZERO-that had me thinking about the war we are in and the people behind it, in it, and soon to be in it. Basically, these movies, although not REAL, made me think really hard about what is going on with the military in this country. I remember getting to that point in high school where I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life. So many of my friends were considering some sort of Armed Force and I actually considered it myself. I thought it would be a good way to prove (to myself) that I was a strong person who could do anything. IF I could make it through boot camp then anyone could. Then I realized that the idea was preposterous-I'm not a physical person, never have been, and I wasn't sure that I could actually hold a gun in my hand. BUT, my friends Josh, Jason, and Jessica all DID go in. Josh went into the Marine Reserves, Jason went into the active Army, and Jessica went into the active Navy. I remember a day when we thought Josh was going to have to go over and it was so scary-every day waiting for him to call us and tell us that he was shipping out...and he DID call, but, luckily, we got the call back saying it wasn't going to happen. Jason went to the Middle East. He called me once a week for much of the time he was there and that connected disconnection was so frightening-the delay over the phone lines was all it took to make me realize how real this whole thing is. I can't believe I ever thought about doing it myself. Luckily, Jason came back and was discharged with only one return visit. Jessica was lucky enough to stay in Japan the whole time she was enlisted. And, none of them seem to have too many side effects from their experiences. Sometimes I wonder about Jason because he lives his life in a way that isn't exactly beneficial to him, but I have no proof that it is because of what he saw over there-he never talked about it and I was too afraid to ask.

Too Afraid to ask. Really. STOP-LOSS is about a group of guys trying to get out of the Army. Some felt like they had no other choice in their lives and had to stay in, some were so injured that they had to go home, and one just wanted to go home because he had found out that the "war" wasn't what "they" said it was...and he got Stop-lossed; basically the Army evoked his right to be discharged and told him he had to go back. I don't want to ruin the movie if you want to see it, so skip the rest of this paragraph if you want to see it. This guy runs-right to both borders, but, in the end, he can't see spending his life alone and ends up back on the bus with the rest of his battalion and some new recruits from his family and home town.

Basically, this says to me, "It's just a matter of time." If the military can stop-loss someone, what is keeping them from getting the government to start the draft? This frightens me beyond belief because, if they can raise the eligible age to 35 what is keeping them from raising it to 50? Or making former members of the Armed Forces coming back no matter what age they are? Or starting a draft that includes women? My brother, Robert, and myself would all be available to them at this point-no one can really escape from the Draft without losing their whole life...
The thing is-I don't believe in violence. I don't believe in anger. I don't believe that fighting this "war" makes any sense the way we are doing it. But, I do believe that there are people out there who don't need to be a part of this world, so where do I draw the line? Could I go out there and fight this war if I had no other choice? Would I willingly join up and risk the PTSD we hear of so many people coming back with-or risk DEATH? The boys in this movie re-enlisted because Over There was the only place that the craziness in their heads made sense-the fighting made it impossible for them to go back to a normal life. But, I think I would stay here and I would do as I was told if I were drafted because I do want to believe in this country-even at that risk of my life changing for the worse. But, If my brother were drafted I would tell him to get out and go far away from the Draft...how does that make sense? I would never want anyone I loved to go over there!

In the other movie, DAY ZERO, 3 different types of people were drafted in a "future" world...1 committed suicide, 1 was ready to go, and 1 was going to run, but changed his mind at the last minute. Being given the opportunity to see 3 different people and their reactions...I really hope that the draft never gets re-instated. Imagine all the things that would happen here in the USA in a negative way. I know there are all kinds of things that happen all ready that are results of people going to war or coming back from war-things we aren't told. How many random shootings are because of PTSD in its many forms? Or because the wrong people were sent over and given the opportunity to learn all this STUFF? Just imagine how many times this would multiply when people started getting drafted!

Right now I'm just going to know that the draft will stay away, that we are safe, that we are going to get out of this war somehow. So, which presidential candidate promises (and will follow through) with the end of the war in Iraq? And how soon can that happen without letting the bad guys win?

One of those lists...

I'm not sure where to start here...I just have a bunch of stuff going through my head, which is why I enjoy the blog because I can type way faster than I can write and because I don't have to worry about being grammatically correct, right?

1) Today was the first day I used the heat in the house since March. I even put on the wool socks that my grandmother knitted for me and sent down here. I Love these socks. They are warm, but light and the colors are so pretty! Every time I wear them I go back to the days when Nam and I would spent time knitting together. I think I finished a couple of little scarves and almost a whole pair of socks. I was really good at dropping stitches, which turned out to be a bad thing, so I think that's why I stopped. Still, wearing the socks makes me want to start again. There IS one drawback, though: when I walk, the knitting of the socks rubs the bottoms of my feet the wrong way and they get sore.:( Anyway...Of course, if Robert had been home today the heat wouldn't have been on because he is like a heater himself and I would just cuddle up to him when I was cold.:)

2) Speaking of Robert, it might be a little pre-mature, but I'm almost completely sure that he will be staying in Louisiana for a while. His bosses have just put him in a trial run as the Head Supervisor on this project building a 4 story marine quarters building that will be put on top of a very large barge once Robert's crew finishes building it. They hired him to replace the woman who was running the project: they interviewed him, fired her at noon, and put him in her office at 3 'o clock this afternoon! I'm really excited for him because he deserves this kind of position, but being away from him for weeks at a time and then only having 2 days to spend together doesn't sound very exciting.
I can see the advantages of all these changes: Robert will be doing less strenuous work and will be in a position he really deserves, I will have time to work on all the little projects I tend to ignore most of the time, I can get back on a good workout schedule, I actually eat healthier when I don't feel rushed to make a meal that Robert will like (*smile*), we will be able to save more money and pay off some credit card debt, and other things too... but is all that worth being separated from my husband? I yo-yo back and forth between yes and no all day long.

3) Needless to say, if Robert does stay in Louisiana and this job works out, I will be writing on this blog a lot more often. It's only been a day since he left (again) and I've written 3 entries. I'm looking forward to clearing my brain out and sharing thoughts (although I'm not sure if anyone actually reads this), but I am trying my hardest not to get sucked in too far.:) I freely admit that the increase in writing will partly be because I'm lonely without my husband, but it's also because I've just got more time to express myself. Writing has always been a passion of mine and I would like to think that this will help me access that talent once again. Maybe.

4) I find that sometimes I am addressing this to my readers (once again, not sure if there really ARE any) and sometimes I'm just writing a little bit of a monologue or just random thoughts. I'm not sure why some subjects require a direct address to the people at large, but that seems to be the case, so I guess my weirdness and OCD continues and those folks who know me are okay with that.:)

So, here I am. At home. With 4 cats, my computer, my Netflix, my workout program (hopefully), and my thoughts...what a world it is.

"Raising the Bar" & Mark Paul Gosselaar

How did he go from THIS:

to THIS:

It's the little things that make me think. You make think I'm weird for it, but, well, I don't care.
...I'm talking about the newest "courtroom drama" on the market, which happens to star the one and only Mark Paul Gosselaar.:) Those of us who grew up in the 80's and early 90's ALL had big crushes on the blondie of "Saved by the Bell" fame, but that didn't mean any of us were convinced that he was a good actor. The young Mark Paul could raise an eyebrow and make my heart throb, but, when he fell out of the lime light after he ran out of school bells to be saved from, I wasn't at all surprised. Later, when I heard that he was on "Law and Order" or "NYPD Blue" or whatever cop show it was, I was surprised to see him back and in a serious role to boot, but I wasn't convinced that he could play it and I really don't enjoy pure cop shows-so, I didn't watch it.
BUT, when "Raising the Bar" started its drumrole in July I was intrigued because I was sure that the guy with the long, wavy brown hair was the Mark Paul of my younger days...and it WAS him. I hate to say it, but I decided to watch the show-purely to find out if the hair was real...well, and partly because the guy who played Gunn on "Angel" was on the show too. So, now I'm enjoying following the lives of many interesting characters, played by many well-known and talented actors...and all because I couldn't believe that the beach blonde babe of my younger days had now turned into a serious, almost middle-aged, long-haired, lawyer actor type. How funny it is how my mind works.:) But, really, who knew the man of 3 names had real talent AND could transform himself so completely?

confessions

I have a little confession to make: I am slightly addicted to the "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders" show. I know, so sad, but it seems to be a good distraction from the fact that Robert is going to be gone for another 12 days before I get to see him...I always did want to be a cheerleader-deep down. BUT we all know I'm not a very athletic person, so it never really worked out. These girls go through A LOT MAN! WOW! I know it's a pretty exclusive thing, but I never realized the DETAILS...like a little bit of butt fat is a big deal! I like that they have someone who is supposed to help them with their own body issues as apposed to just making them workout until they get rid of all their body fat. The people who run this team really do think of every single detail. I guess they choose to go through this, but I wouldn't want to be picked on for every teeny tiny detail. Still, it's amazing to see their talent and perseverance.

Staying Home Alone

Well, it's finally happened: Robert has gone on his first traveling job. I know I said that it wasn't going to happen because I didn't want to be separated from him for long periods of time EVER, but, when you don't have any other options at the moment, and he's only 4 hours away in Louisiana, it doesn't seem quite so bad. We don't know that it's going to be that long of an away trip anyway...there are 2 different contracts in locally-one in Pascagoula and one in Mobile, so hopefully one of those will come through and he'll be back in a couple of weeks, right? It was so sad, but funny to watch him go this morning because all the cats were running around like something weird was going on. I think Jade still has some residual fears of packing because of when PJ left her with Aaron. Poor Sweetness must still have issues with being locked up for that weekend we left her in the closest by accident...and Sandy, well, she just likes to sit on top of luggage. Jade spent the hour before Robert left alternating between cuddling with me and attackinng me (although she has gotten much better about not actually PUTTING her claws INTO my body). Sweetness sat on the top of her Daddy's chair and got up with him every time he got up. Sandy just sat on the suitcase until Robert took it outside, and Topper went and hid. I think they are going to miss him just as much as I will.
It's hard to believe that some women deal with this all the time. I know plenty of people here in Pascagoula who deal with their husbands traveling for pipefitting or joining-gone for months at a time! Our friend Monica's husband is in the Navy and gone for 6 months right now! And my sister in law Janet stays home with the girls while Perry travels all week some weeks. I hope that we don't have to do this very often and not for very long when we have to do it. We're lucky because we don't have any kids, but I remember being that kid left at home while my dad went away for months and months at a time...it wasn't fun. Maybe that's why I have such a problem with it now.
Also, I'm not very good at being alone-especially at night-especially in a neighborhood like mine. I suppose it would be just as scary if I lived out in the woods away from all kinds of people. So, it's an experiment for me to see how brave I can be. I will just be keeping myself busy: cleaning, uploading CDs to my new Ipod, playing on myspace and facebook, getting on a better workout schedule, loving my cats, and doing anything else it takes to keep myself from feeling alone. I'm also lucky enough to have Robert's family close by in many different directions, so I'm really not ALONE...but I want to be able to do this myself. Too bad I can't throw myself into my work-they're counting every minute so we don't get overtime.
Here goes nothing.:)

Recycling

I know this seems small, especially to folks to the North, but I was so incredibly excited yesterday when I looked out on the curb and saw a crate sitting on the corner of my driveway. At first I had no idea what it was-maybe someone's garbage that got thrown to the side-AGAIN. BUT, when I went out to investigate I found a brand-spankin' new Recycling container from out garbage company! Now, this is SO exciting for me because I have been going to Mobile to do my recycling and now all I have to do is put it out on the curb once a week! I have no idea WHAT we are recycling, but anything is better than nothing-whether it's glass and plastic or plastic, glass, tin, and newspapers...I will fill it up every week and I am so incredibly grateful that the town of Pascagoula has finally come to their senses!
Yeah for recycling!:)

A couple of weeks ago I got to see my sister Holly again. It's so strange that she lives so far away now, but we are hoping to be able to go visit her because I have never been to Washington State. Oh, so many places and so little time...
AND, of course, I finally got to meet my new niece, Emma Faith-Holly and Tim's daughter. She is so incredibly beautiful and TINY. I can't get over how little and perfectly proportioned she is. And there is something about her that is just so very AWARE. I felt like she totally and completely understood everything that we were saying. She just had so much more presence than any other baby I have ever met...and it's not just because she is my niece; I really think that she is extremely intelligent. And she is absolutely beautiful-even nif she doesn't have much hair:). I'm so lucky to have so many wonderful nieces and nephews...I just wish that there were more time to see them all. It seems like they are all growing up so fast.


Speaking of growing up fast: after spending some time with Emma Faith I was off to Lily June's 1st birthday party! I can't believe that Lily is all ready a year old! My GOD how time flies. Lily isn't saying too much yet, but she is all ready walking all over the place and she has this great thing she does where she will all of a sudden just burst into laughter-wide open mouth hilarity...it's so great! She is also the most well-dressed, girly baby I have ever seen-and that is saying something after having 2 twin nieces dressed by my sister-in-law Janet (who has the greatest sense of style). But, Lily June doesn't let the dresses get in the way of her action-she's all over the place and ready for action.
The birthday party was awesomely well done and I had a great time getting photos of the kids and of Laura and Trent's horses, which they have 4 of now! I wish I could have 4 horses!

The Harris Family Reunion

Oh, it has been far too long! I have excuses, though: I have been planning a family reunion, working, and I got my "after travel sickness" that I seem to get every time we fly anywhere. So, this might take a bit to restart itself, but I'll get there.
Still, all the hard work and loss of energy paid off. The Harris Family Reunion came off REALLY well. Robert got the house painted (Yellow with white trim and red doors), the yard cleaned up, the trees and bushes trimmed, the tents up, the hallway painted, and all my little flags, wind chimes, and birdfeeders hung up. I have to say that the house looks absolutely wonderful and everything was just awesome! I got some great family photos and dad and Lisa came to meet some more of the Harris family.
I really couldn't believe how well everything went because Robert and I usually get so flustered when large events become our responsibility, but by some grace of God, Robert got the week before the reunion off to do everything that needed to be done. I managed to get the day before off so I could frantically clean the house (which is DID need). And, the immediate family came over to help with the raising of tents, the moving of grills, and all the other things that required more than one person to do. We were so de-stressed-we were able to be gracious hosts-as you can see from this hilarious photo of Robert walking through the crowds:
Robert's family is absolutely awesome, by the way...everyone was so helpful, so complimentary, and so good-natured about the whole event; even their rivalries between Alabama and Mississippi State didn't get in the way.:) I just really feel lucky to have a family that I feel so comfortable around. I don't feel like I have to be anything more than who I am most of the time when I'm with them-I even find myself being funnier around them because that's the type of family they are. I even love all the children in the family, which, if you know me, is a bit of an oddity. I am especially in love with our cousin Paige's son, Jake. There is just something about him that is so touching. A photograph does not capture his vitality: he is ALWAYS on the move, always talking-sometimes in his own little language, always ready to try something new, always eating and drinking, and never demanding anything from anybody. He never stopped moving at the reunion. He always had a cup of cheetos or chips in his hand, and his little white shirt and checkered shorts were evidence of the fun he had-I wish I had gotten a photo of him at the end of the day.:) All the kids were really great-running around bare foot when I KNOW we have fire ants in our yard, but none of them seemed to be bothered by them.
Overall, it was just an awesome event. It made me wish I could see more of the family more often, but time is always short, it seems. The best part of the event was that we got all 7 of Robert's dad's brothers and sisters together for a photo. It was really great to get them all together and I can't wait for everyone to see the shots. My only regret is that poor Uncle Bill got blocked out in the big group shot...his was the ONLY face I didn't get, though: that's pretty good for 50 people!
I love having huge families all around me.

The Moustache

For all the folks who love my brother, who have seen him recently or not, I am blogging about his moustache. At first I wasn't so sure about it, but, now that it has grown to full potential, and with my uncle Adam's moustache history, I have not only accepted it, but really quite enjoy it. Yes, part of me wishes for the slightly clean cut, relatively every-day brother I used to know, but watching the evolution of Luke (now known as the Loblolly Boy-yes, Google it) is a pleasure that I would not give up in my life. I am very lucky to have such an awesome and interesting brother. I know some find it odd to be fascinated and I hope he is not offended, but I have had enough questions about it that I must speak out. So here are the answers to the many questions:
1) Yes, it is real.
2) No, it is not a disguise.
3) Yes, it is natural.
4) The Kalloch men just happen to grow red facial hair, despite having brown hair on their heads.
5) Yes, He uses moustache wax.
6) No, it isn't necessary, it is just fun.
7) I just want to make this one thing clear: it deserve the eccentric spelling of: moUstache.
So, here are some detailed photos from a curious photographer's point of view. Enjoy, contemplate, and leave comments if you would like.:)