Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Doings and Musings
The state government of NJ was shut down for 10 days early in July as a result of testosterone-induced head-butting between the governor and the head of the assembly. During the furlough I packed up 300+ pounds of troop support material. And the apartment is still not clean. *sigh*
One reason the apartment never empties is that my favorite recreational sport is "clearance sale" shopping. One of the biggest I've hit lately was at a craft store, with the saddest triumph from there being 30 to 40 "inspirational" bracelets for only 10 cents each. I call it "sad" because the word was "freedom", the bracelet yellow. To think that no one wanted that one at full price (all of $1!). Sort of a symbol for American culture in general. I plan to send them to the troops for morale building.
I was in DC this past weekend for both a troop support/anti-code-pink rally in front of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and an anti-anti-Israel (ie. pro Israel against anti-Israel) rally. On the Metro I saw a young couple, woman late 20's, guy mid-30's. She was curled against him, head curled into his neck but he wasn't looking at her. His hand was covering hers on his leg, her other hand on top of his but fingers weren't entwined. He had a thousand-mile stare. Not angry, not sad, just seeing things/thinking things of a deep, difficult nature. I have a hunch he was on leave. I've been praying for them ever since.
One reason the apartment never empties is that my favorite recreational sport is "clearance sale" shopping. One of the biggest I've hit lately was at a craft store, with the saddest triumph from there being 30 to 40 "inspirational" bracelets for only 10 cents each. I call it "sad" because the word was "freedom", the bracelet yellow. To think that no one wanted that one at full price (all of $1!). Sort of a symbol for American culture in general. I plan to send them to the troops for morale building.
I was in DC this past weekend for both a troop support/anti-code-pink rally in front of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and an anti-anti-Israel (ie. pro Israel against anti-Israel) rally. On the Metro I saw a young couple, woman late 20's, guy mid-30's. She was curled against him, head curled into his neck but he wasn't looking at her. His hand was covering hers on his leg, her other hand on top of his but fingers weren't entwined. He had a thousand-mile stare. Not angry, not sad, just seeing things/thinking things of a deep, difficult nature. I have a hunch he was on leave. I've been praying for them ever since.
