Southwest Airlines, who free-of-charge (actually, put me $20 in the green!), gave me an extra 2 days of Thanksgiving holiday when I impulsively decided a few hours before my Sunday evening flight that I could not leave California just yet...
Happy Veteran's Day.
And no, it's not a coincidence that this is posted at 11:11 on 11/11.
I am a lucky girl to be living in such a country, to have been born in the family I was (even though it's challenging to deal with some members of it).
Thanks Amy, for summarizing exactly what it means to live abroad -- to see your home country more imperfectly and perfectly. For me, that means America.
It hit me lately, harder than it has ever before, that around 250 years is NOT a long time for a country to be around. It's really our duty to ensure the rights, privileges, freedoms and honor those who have put their lives on the line for the cause of democracy.
Even though I've become pretty politically apathetic over the past little while (I am BECOMING my DC-burnout parents! ahh!), I hold respect for those who do find purpose in it. And I'll never take for granted the privilege of voting itself, however acrimonious I may find it most of the time.
Freedom is not free (neither is quality journalism, but that's another story. pun intended!)...ok, rambling...
Thanks Grandpa, and all others who have fought for my freedoms.
And the star-spangled banner,
in triumph shall wave,
o'er the land of the free
and the home of the brave.
On Halloween, I don't go for themes of 'skank' or 'scary,' but rather hilarity.
Por ejemplo, remember last year when I was Sarah Palin? or when I was a COMPOSER circa age 7? (The link at the end of that post proved an interesting foreshadow to this year's costume- what with the 'popping')
And this year, it was Lady Gaga, naturally... her getups are made for Halloween replication.
I was surprised I didn't see more...
(Blonde wig situation didn't work out... I'm not bitter or anything...)
Bubbles still intact at this point (it proved to be more high maintenance than I envisioned), with with my legit basketballer roommate Mackenzie as GI Jane (anyone who posts videos of Shaq & Dwight Howard dance-offs on my Facebook wall has my strait up respek'...)
The bubbles were falling off at this point, and hair getting static-y.Okay, so I am having massive doubts about being Lady Gaga for Halloween (the jig is up)...
(Or "Musings on becoming legal")
On paper, it was maybe one of the worst years to date (eh, no that would be high school). I probably logged more hours in doctors offices and pharmacies in the first half than time spent out with friends. But in terms of learning, I couldn't have asked for more. Really. Sooo cliche: sue me.
Here's a little recap:
Experienced the highest recurring form of physical pain to date, popping ibuprofen and narcotics like candy, including racing up and down I-15 (Provo-SLC) with ice packs pressed to my freezer burnt face for injections and various therapies. A low point was popping some Percosset with intentions to snuggle the pain off in bed, then having my professor call to say I needed to get up to campus in the next half hour to have him sign an "Incomplete" form and submit it to the registrar's office.
I'm better, for the most part.
Learned that driving under the influence is just...not good.
-Oversaw Daily Universe packages for 2008 election coverage.
Learned Tina Fey is a goddess of satire.
-Went to Wyoming for Thanksgiving.
Learned that wide open spaces may in fact be really great...for the rush of galloping a horse.
- Attended a Buddhist wedding of my lovely hippie cousin and her dear Brazilian hubby in Santa Cruz...
(Isn't that the coolest picture of a bride?!)
(an awkward family photo (mom's hand on Katherine's stomach?) but it's all of us, nonetheless...)
Spotted: stars flocking to small New England towns thinking they would escape the paparazzi.
Yeah...it looked like it had been a Late Night for him...
Last 4th of July, I boarded the Q train to Brooklyn (with bing cherries bagged fresh from Whole Foods), and spent the day hanging out with a couple cousins in Park Slope. It was raining that night, so instead of watching the NYC firework spectacular, we watched it on TV with the residual firework sound coming from outside the window.
This year, my dad did not have quadruple coronary bypass again, so we're all up here at the lake seeing this darling Yankee town's parade down Main Street, going boating, and eating fresh watermelon with the East Coast cousins. Besides honoring veterans like my grandpa, this is what my 4th of Julys have looked like throughout the years.
And don't forget the nice, thick New England accent! ....love this part of the USA.
