This should not surprise me...

Our country is utterly unprepared in the event of an attack by WMD, biochemical weapons, nuclear weapons, etc. Peggy Noonan's column is a must-read.

She mentions the "failure of imagination" that the government fell victim to in the pre-9/11 mindset. Now, nearly nine years later, enough time has passed that we have forgotten what is was like in those days, to be completely unprepared and taken off guard by something beyond our imagination. But if the Taliban can kill a seven year old, there is all sorts of evil in their minds that could translate into something even far worse than 9/11. The election of Barack Obama didn't change the minds of the Taliban and al Qaeda; it only weakened our resolve, apparently.

Before You Were Hot

Time-wasting webpage here. Maybe I should submit? LOL, not so much. Though I'm not always convinced that the earlier pictures were so ugly. I think some people are too hard on themselves. Luckily, the glasses and bad hair/skin saved me from thinking that. LOL again, right?

I think about that when I surf old facebook pictures. How much we changed, how little we've changed. How much time passes, and how the good looking stay good looking and everyone looks better but no one changes that much. How we present the best picture of ourselves, and how we remember everyone then. How we'd like to forget everyone then, too.

Is it time to go home yet?

I am bored and burnt out and all I can think of is what I want for dinner. Or food in general.

God, do I need a vacation!

I am passing my day researching St. Lucia, cell phone boosters, and finding different National tracks to stream. Currently heavily depending on All Songs Considered (RIP WOXY, boo still). And thinking about food after an eh lunch. And recovering from the eye doctor, boo to that, too.

And feeling peaceful about a night off from running. Need a vacation from that, too. And enjoying the cooler weather and rain, liking that too.

Anniversaries

So twenty years ago this month, two milestones occurred in my life. One, I graduated from 8th grade and left St. V's. And two, I became very engaged in the Jack & Jennifer story as the Cruise of Deception aired.

A third milestone occurred in August, when we left Detroit and moved to the 'burbs.

I was fourteen and more than a little lonely. I didn't have many friends, I was about to start high school, and I never felt very pretty or confident. I didn't feel like I would ever have a crowd of friends of mine or a boyfriend. I remember watching the couples on "Fun Day" dancing and feeling like wow, I wonder if a boy would ever like me. I wonder if anyone would ever ask me to dance. I remember if I ever would feel comfortable in my wardrobe, my skin, my hair, my gangly body. I remember not feeling like I would ever belong.

Watching Jack & Jennifer that summer was such a big thing for me. I remember them vaguely before that, but I don't remember the precise moment I really fell. I don't know if it was their witty banter, the adventure, the longing, the sense of adventure, the insecurity, or the pure romance of it that was timed perfectly for me. I remember wanting to be an adult like that, to be able to get away from everything that I hated. That Cruise of Deception was just absolutely perfect.

Fourteen is a tough age, but it's tougher when you don't have a group to call your own. It is a bittersweet time as we were preparing to leave Detroit, move to an area I didn't really know, and start over, again, with a new group who pretty much resembled the old group. But I had something to cling to, for a while, anyway. Nice that Melissa Reeves is returning briefly to Days this month. Maybe I'll sneak a glimpse, too.

NYC Weekend

OK, it wasn't a full weekend. Or a time in which I had any free time. Lovely. We had our last meeting this weekend, and we ate at SD26. Pasta and veal. It was good, but not a ton of food. Lots of wine to make up for it, though! And afterward, I briefly went to the bar a block or two over, full of palm trees on the roof overlooking the city. Beautiful. Too bad I was SO tired and SO sick of drinking.

Boston next week then the next stop is St. Lucia!!!!!!!!

Founding Farmers

Last night for ladies night out we went to Founding Farmers, a place we've been meaning to check out for awhile. I have to say, it was "eh" just as Tom Sietsema said it was. Not eager to go back. Though the cocktails were good--I had two that tasted similarly, with the Last Word and El Floridita similar. The cheaper Floridita was actually tastier, in our opinion.

We started with the La Quercia Prosciutto, Fig & Mascarpone flatbread. That may have been the tastiest item of the night. I had the blue crab ravioli, which tasted like it was canned crab, not fresh. I ate it up, though, and the portion was sufficient for a ravioli dish. But eh. And we split the donuts for dinner, which were also a table favorite.

The service was "eh" as well. A little over-zealous earlier in the evening, and then a partial disappearing act, later. The place wasn't packed, either.

So nice as always to catch up with friends!

Perfect Game, Imperfect Umpiring

Armando Galarraga pitched the first perfect game in Tigers' history last night. Too bad the umpire profoundly screwed it up.

This has definitely reinvigorated the argument for instant replay. Umps aren't perfect, but last night's pitching was.

Best Conservative TV Shows

My add: Sledgehammer.

But lots you could add...even Lost, for dealing with faith. But I can't quibble with 24.

Woke Up Early

I woke up early to take the husband to Union Station to drop him off for his trip to California. 4:30 a.m. I woke up. Drove him there at 5:15. And at 5:50 a.m., I went for my first early early run.

Wow. I was starving all morning after it. It was hot and sweaty and humid and nearly 75 degrees at that time. UGH. It's going to be a long hot summer. But there is something energizing at being out that early, with it already light outside--daylight at 6 a.m. And I covered over 4 miles, to save up the extra calories for the day.

I would love to be an early morning runner, but it's a struggle. Someday I may have to be out at that time. But today it was my choice.

Post-Vacation Blues

I am trying to keep myself as busy as possible to avoid the post-vacation blues. This morning, all I could think about was playing with Joey and his sandbox. And now he's with his other grandma, one of many, and not being doted upon like we would. Sigh.

I almost get why there are stay at home moms. It's so fun to stare and play with the cutest little two year old boy ever. As opposed to dealing with lawyers and headaches and other issues. Sigh. Sigh.

So I tell myself in one short month, we'll be in beautiful St. Lucia. Drinking daiquiris and margaritas. Oh St. Lucia. Hurry. Please.