Imogen, if you get this, will you marry me?

Musings of a pacifist

I came across a quote today. It was disturbing to the greatest degree. And being as how this week is the 5-year anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq, I thought this to be a pertinent time to share this. The quote is from former first lady Barbara Bush, on Good Morning America just after the Iraq war started in 2003.

"Why should we hear about body bags, and deaths?...I mean, it's not relevant. So why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?"
~Barbara Bush

I will tell you, Mrs. Bush, why you should 'waste' your mind on something like that. Because inside of every body bag is a life cut short. Every statistic on CNN is someone's son. Every million dollars buys a group of innocent Iraqis laid to rest. Barbara, I challenge you to make such an ignorant statement when your grand-daughters stop being drunk and enlist for the military. When one of them comes home covered in a flag, will you be so calloused? How can you tell me that the life of a person is not relevant? If I had the means, I would camp out across the street from your house and set up a giant screen and show 24/7 footage of the carnage that your son has recklessly caused.

Even more disturbing to me is this, excerpted from a CNN article published on the day of the 5-year anniversary. This one comes from good ol' GW himself.

"No one would argue that this war has not come at a high cost in lives and treasure, but those costs are necessary when we consider the cost of a strategic victory for our enemies in Iraq"
-George W. Bush

Mr. President, how do you sleep at night? You entered an unjust war on false pretenses, which have cost thousands of lives (I refuse to break down deaths into categories such as 'american lives' or 'american troops'...Iraqis are people just the same as Americans are. And the Iraqi people have paid dearly for the smokescreen politics of GW, just the same as the American people have). These costs are NECESSARY? Ridiculous. The blood of the innocents is on your hands, Mr. Bush.

I could argue until the cows come home (which would be quite a long time, seeing as how I don't own any) about how ridiculous this war is. But I won't do that. All I will say is that my heart is bleeding for the world. For the 98 percent of Iraqis and Afghans who never hurt anyone, for the people of Darfur, for the child-soldiers of Uganda.... the list could go on. Sometimes it all just makes me want to cry.

Open Mic

An open mike or open mic (or open spots ) is a live show where audience members may perform at the microphone. Usually, the performers sign up in advance for a time slot with the host or master of ceremonies. (thank you wikipedia)

^^I'll be participating in one of those tomorrow night. Always a good time.

In other news, beach volleyball is fast becoming one of my favorite hobbies. The combination of sweat, sand, and the resulting chaffing is simply outstanding. But really though, I will be honest, I enjoy volleyball. A lot.

Magic.

If such a thing exists, I'm sure it is contained where the ocean collides with a mass of land. The beach. Where two forces of nature meet. The ocean, which smacks angrily against the sand, and then serenely glides up the expanse of crowded tourists, only to repeat the process. And the land, unmoving against the beating that it takes, seems not to mind the intrusion. Yet, it's all so beautifully serene. The last two days of my life have been spent at this intersection of power and beauty, and I must say, I can't get enough of it.
So I've determined that I must live on a coast. I pay no mind as to where, but as long as I can look out and cannot resolve the edge of the horizon, then I'm good. So to all of you in Ohio, I apologize, but it will take a serious seismic shift of either geography or of my preferences for me to return on any sort of permanent basis. Coastal regions, prepare to have your world rocked.

Also, I'm going to Thailand next December. My friend Patrick is coming too. We found a couple of discounted tickets, so we're stoked about it. If anyone would like to accompany us, get a flight into Bangkok on the 9th of December 2008. It would be sweet if you would let me know as well, although I'm all for surprises.

Sore feet and heavy eyes

My feet feel like bricks.

I'm afraid my eyes may give up hope any second now and I will fall asleep right here on the computer.

I spent the last three days in a 17000-woman cauldron of estrogen that would strike fear in the heart of even the fiercest man.

I have had 12 hours sleep in the last three nights combined.

My body is weak beyond reason.

But my spirit is encouraged to the same degree.

Go change the world ladies.


p.s. I met louie giglio not 2 hours ago. We're basically like brothers now.

Colour Me Blue

Some would say that they are 'blue like jazz'. I would give the following statement to those people:

There is a genre of music that is already defined by that colour, which also shares its name. The blues. I love them. In fact, I live in Bluesville. John is the current mayer, B.B. was the king, there's another John whose coal train comes in regularly. Eric also claps a ton, for no other reason than to honor his friend Jimi. I am but a humble resident. So please, I beg of you, do not redefine me.

This is all I have to say.

p.s. my spelling of the word colour (which blogspot apparently disapproves of, seeing as how they underlined it in 'mistake red') makes me certifiably Aussie. Ironically enough, the word blogspot is also underlined. Someday soon there will be another blog on this topic.

(Some)times I contemplate on the (day)s to come...

.....I can't wait for my future....

Laughing in church....

.... It's a good thing that no one finds it obnoxious here. We were all praying for some prayer requests in chapel the other day and I just got to thinking. What if prayers were visible? And I visualized a whole bunch of things rising up out of people's heads and through the building and up into the sky. Like balloons kinda. It was kinda cool really...but also funny when I realized that I was spending more time daydreaming than praying.... oops..

Old Song. New Meaning.

I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
I'll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours