orbitaldiamonds | Recent Entries

Me: April is the cruelest month...

Poem: Hey, first line! Go on, finish it. Next line! Helloooooo?! Where'd it go?

Me: Shut up.

Poem: Look, you're seeing the whole page now! Where'd the second line go?

Me: Shut UP.

Poem: Back to the top of the stanza, looooooser!

Being poetry-stupid sucks.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: pissed off
Current Music: MSNBC -- Morning Joe

...to be continued...

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Music: the noises of outside my building

From Tria's LJ/DW:

I don't normally make this kind of post, but I'm making an exception in this case.

As some of you already know, my younger sister, gaia_kiari, who currently lives in a shared house in Derby, has been being harassed to within an inch of her sanity by the people with whom she's sharing - all three of them. It has come to the point where she is afraid even to leave her bedroom, and has been buying food she can eat without needing to use the kitchen to prepare it. Her room isn't very big, and this isn't healthy for her.

She can't do anything to prove their treatment of her, and physical violence is about the only thing they haven't done yet, but they scare the crap out of her on a regular basis, and her pre-existing anxiety problems and mental illness are only getting worse because of all this. She's consulted her local council, and for a lot of reasons, they can't really help her. She's severely depressed and so anxious at present she had a six-hour panic attack a few days ago.

She's found a place elsewhere in the city that looks like being a lot better for her, and wants to move out - needs to move out, and I would take her in if I had the room, but I don't. Trouble is, they need money from her for a deposit and her first month's rent before she can move in, and Housing Benefit do not pay anything in advance even though she's eligible (health reasons).

Basically, she needs to raise £500 very quickly to be able to move out. She may be able to get it back - she's applied for a Community Care Grant - but she may not, and the decision on the CCG takes more time than she can wait to secure her tenancy. I want to help her, but I'm on benefits myself and have no money to spare at the moment and for various reasons, neither do our father and stepmother. She's trying to sell some of her stuff to raise the funds, but she doesn't have that much extra even with that.

So I'm asking as best I can: would any of you be willing to help Charlotte, please?

If so, her Paypal address is tiggyworld@hotmail.com, and I can promise anything that you can give will all go towards this and that it is not a scam. I just can't stand to see my little sister go through this without being able to help her somehow.

Thanks for listening, everyone. *hugs you all* If anyone needs further specifics or verification, I'm willing to provide - comments are screened, but my email is trialia at gmail.com.

More than halfway there, 7pm June 3rd - thank you all so much for this!

I already asked, and PayPal *will* convert dollars to pounds.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: hopeful
Current Music: NCIS: Los Angeles

This is ten squares of Fizzy's Tetris Blanket (not in order, obviously) laid out on my bed (please ignore the disheveled state). Because of the thickness of the yarn (Lion Brand's "Hometown USA" style, 100% acrylic), I only made the squares three "rounds" wide, but...that's the width.

It's going to be 15 squares high.

On the bright side, is big enough for two--maybe three--to cuddle under. *winkwink*

( two more pics )
I guess it'll be like a full double/queen comforter...er, doona, since it's going to Fizzy. ;)

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: MSNBC -- Morning Joe

I went to bed at 2am Tuesday, got up at 10am, volunteered at ACS in a hot office (next to a vent that belches out heat like in my home :P) sorting, alphabetizing, and filing, and I walked to the PX for lunch and while I was waiting for Chris to pick me up I was trying not to fall asleep as I sat.

Well, until I had the ~~venti~~ large mocha Frappucino from Starbucks. (Yes, the PX has a Starbucks.) And I'm almost done with a small bottle of Mountain Dew.

Also...

NEW YARN. Thick, soft, fun acrylic yarn that is so easy to work with and it comes out to such a big square that I only have to do three "rounds" per square! I just finished going through one skein of it (this stuff), and learned that one skein will make the better part of four squares. I bought one of each color I'd need this time, and now I know just how many of each color I'll need to buy in the future. The only thing that'll slow the project down now is the price of the stuff, but hopefully I'll be able to finish it this month. (Plz for someone to buy my stationery books so I can support my new ~~habit~~ hobby?)

It's 1:35am. I'm nowhere near tired. On to the light blue yarn! XD

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: artistic
Current Music: MSNBC -- Way Too Early

( Clarke and Dawe - Lending Merry-Go-Round )

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: blah
Current Music: HGTV -- Income Property

By the time I finished all the squares for Fizzy's Tetris blanket, I had an idea for a blanket made of big granny squares, and then a border, and basically weird and totally me and unlike anything I'd seen before. And since I love my friends (and since no-one wants to buy my artwork :P), I'm making this one for Tria. (That's why I asked for your favorite colors, by the way. If this is too bright, let me know. ^_^)

I didn't do the part where there are holes in it by a pattern, I just trial-and-error'd it until I got a straight line at the top. (It took several tries.) I'm not quite satisfied with how it turned out, though I do like it. Ideas?

P.S. No, I'm not fishing for compliments here. I'm actually looking for suggestions.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: HGTV -- Get It Sold

DADT Repeal Amendment Passes in Senate Armed Services Committee
After 17-Year Battle, Milestone Called "Historic First Step Forward"

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans, today proudly commended the passage of the amendment before the Senate Armed Services Committee to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. The amendment, which was offered by Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and strongly supported by Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI), passed by a vote of 16 - 12.

"This initial victory today in the Senate Armed Services Committee is an historic first step forward in the drive to finally get the onerous 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law off the books forever," said Alexander Nicholson, Executive Director of Servicemembers United and a former U.S. Army interrogator who was discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." "All of us who have served under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and who have been impacted by this law will remember this day as the beginning of the end for 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'"

The amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 would repeal 10 U.S.C. 654, the basis of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' after the completion of the Pentagon's Comprehensive Review Working Group study and after a certification is made by the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the study's recommendations for an implementation management plan are sufficient.

Nicholson added, "We are especially grateful to the courageous members on the Senate Armed Services Committee who took a principled stand and voted for this amendment, which fully respects the ongoing study, the Pentagon leadership, and the men and women of the U.S. military. We would especially like to express our sincere appreciation for the tireless efforts of Senator Levin, Senator Lieberman, Senator Udall, and Senator Gillibrand and their staff in working to secure the support to make this first victory a reality today."

The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, passed in 1993 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, has resulted in the abrupt firing of more than 14,000 men and women because of their sexual orientation, and has led tens of thousands more to voluntarily terminate their careers because of the burden of serving under this outdated law. There are an estimated 66,000 gays, lesbians, and bisexuals currently serving in the U.S. military and an estimated 1 million gay, lesbian, and bisexual veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

For more information about Servicemembers United, please visit www.servicemembersunited.org. For the latest information on discharge numbers, polling, statistics, studies, and other archival and reference information related to the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' issue, please visit www.dadtarchive.org.

###

Servicemembers United, a non-profit and non-partisan organization, is the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans and their allies. Based in Washington, DC, Servicemembers United actively engages in education, advocacy, and lobbying on issues affecting the gay military, veteran, and defense community.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: hopeful
Current Music: MSNBC -- Countdown

I learned how to make (super-basic) granny squares this morning because I've been wanting to make a blanket like this for months. I'm proud to say it only took me three tries to get the hang of it. :D

This is the plan for a Tetris-themed blanket I'm making for Fizzy. The background's gonna be black and the colors are from the Tetris Company's Standardized version--which will make the other colors easier to find! I'm also gonna do either a blue border of squares (since I'll otherwise be buying a thing of blue yarn for just three squares) or white squares (since I already have a big skein of white yarn).

The multicolored one was one I made for practice, and my version of this blanket is going to be all in multicolored yarn. Because I'm a nerd, and because I don't want to make the same blanket twice. :)

---

Also, I went to a meeting with Anya (the MFLC for Chris's brigade) at the Starbucks at the PX. I thought it was going to be just us but it was Mrs. Powe also, and there were supposed to be other FRG leaders. No other FRG leaders showed up, though. Oy. There is so much available to military families and this post doesn't seem to have much give-a-damn to either help out or partake of the help that's out there!

I did get the idea to offer my services as a volunteer office bitch (though not in such language :P) at the Red Cross or ACS office since I have the time and the talent/skill. :)

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: MSNBC -- Hardball

Dear DADT Repeal Supporter,

We wanted to share some exciting news with you before we even speak to the media about this new development. After relentless pressure, the White House and the Pentagon have finally changed their tune and announced that they will now support an amendment to repeal the DADT law THIS YEAR.

We have been working tirelessly on this for a long time, both in public and even more so behind the scenes. This news now makes it much more likely that we will lock in repeal of DADT this year, even if the implementation of repeal is delayed until after the Comprehensive Review Working Group finishes its implementation management study. If we succeed, the major battle (getting the law off the books) will be over.

But this fight is far from won! Even with the President's and the Pentagon's public support for repealing DADT this year, we still need to invest the time to do everything WE can to help push this over the finish line. As you may already know, key votes will take place this week on the Senate Armed Services Committee and on the floor of the House of Representatives. We MUST win these votes, and we need your help to make sure that happens.

We have waited 17 long years for this very week. Please take a few minutes to help us out by calling and emailing your Senators and Representatives to voice support for repeal. Then, please call and email the offices of the 6 Senate Armed Services Committee swing voters who hold the fate of this law in their hands. They are Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN), Scott Brown (R-MA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Robert Byrd (D-WV), Ben Nelson (D-NE), and Jim Webb (D-VA). And finally, if you have just a few extra moments, please consider calling Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), George LeMieux (R-FL), and John McCain (R-AZ) and urging them to support repeal of the DADT law this year.

The contact information for Senate offices can be found here:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

The contact information for House offices can be found here:
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml

Thank you. And to those still serving on active duty under the cloud of DADT, keep fighting for us and we'll keep fighting for you!

Alex Nicholson
Executive Director
Servicemembers United

P.S. Below is a copy of our press release about this announcement today.

----------------

White House and Pentagon Announce Support for DADT Repeal Amendment This Year
New Administration Position Presents Realistic Window of Opportunity to Secure Repeal Now

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
05/24/2010

Contact:
Clint King - Desk: 202.349.3803 | Cell: 202.834.7659 | Email: cking@servicemembersunited.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans, commended the announcement today that the administration will now support an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law this year. The proposed amendment would include a delayed implementation provision that would not allow repeal to take effect until the Pentagon's Comprehensive Review Working Group completed its nine-month implementation management study and until the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certified that the military is ready to implement repeal smoothly.

"This announcement from the White House today is long awaited, much needed, and immensely helpful as we enter a critical phase of the battle to repeal the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law," said Alexander Nicholson, Executive Director of Servicemembers United and a former U.S. Army interrogator who was discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." "We have been making the case to White House staff for more than a year now that delayed implementation is realistic, politically viable, and the only way to get the defense community on board with repeal, and we are glad to see the community and now the administration and defense leadership finally rally around this option."

The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, passed in 1993 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, has resulted in the abrupt firing of more than 14,000 men and women because of their sexual orientation, and has led tens of thousands more to voluntarily terminate their careers because of the burden of serving under this outdated law. There are an estimated 66,000 gays, lesbians, and bisexuals currently serving in the U.S. military and an estimated 1 million gay, lesbian, and bisexual veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

For more information about Servicemembers United, please visit www.servicemembersunited.org. For the latest information on discharge numbers, polling, statistics, studies, and other archival and reference information related to the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' issue, please visit www.dadtarchive.org.

###

Servicemembers United, a non-profit and non-partisan organization, is the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans and their allies. Based in Washington, DC, Servicemembers United actively engages in education, advocacy, and lobbying on issues affecting the gay military, veteran, and defense community.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: hopeful
Current Music: MSNBC -- Countdown

Like the 2008 post, these were all public when I quoted them. If you want yours taken down, just leave a comment and I will.

Favorite Tweets 2009

@pineapplecakes: @Anamariecox and @Maddow in the same room is an explosion of hot and smart. #

@sarking: Freshman congressmen are adorable and should not be allowed near Stephen Colbert. #

@fakerahmemanuel: @anniemal Clever old fucker was a compliment. We should all hope to be clever old fuckers one day. #

@anamariecox: Preparing for BSG premiere with marathon; starting with season 2. Tigh giving me serious McCain flashbacks. #

@thetrainblack: "You think history is going to go with the unfortunate stagecraft angle? OK, anything else?" Rhetoric. His other mistake is /rhetoric/? #

@sarking: @skywaterblue I agree with this tweet. Kate Clinton is awesome and makes @Maddow act even more adorable. #

@driftingfocus: I'm not liking this inaugural prayer. Too Jesus-y. #

@sarking: (Thank the Lord he did not say "potpourri of balls." I wouldn't have stopped laughing for a month.) #

@sarking: Rachel on Hillary at the State Department: "You can call it a rockstar entrance. It was almost more of a 'greeted as liberators' entrance." #

@sarking: Rachel: "Foggy Bottom. Yeah, this is not a news cycle for sophomoric people like me who are tired." #

@thetrainback: :D JON! OMG HE'S DEFENDING THE MORALITY OF ATHEISTS. :D :D :D GOOD PERSON=/=RELIGIOUS PERSON (at least not necessarily) #

@ricksanchezcnn: just got back in, heard my colleague is questioning the S. Pov Law ctr's def. of hate groups. let me help: white sheet, pointy hats. #

@ricksanchezcnn: when you're against the southern poverty law ctr, you've pretty much defined yourself. nuff said. #

@luchalibrarian: Where exactly did the angel touch you? #

@stonermc: @WillAtWork yes! i was thinking that.. rachel backwards and forwards... sounds rude somehow. #

( much more under the cut )

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: geeky
Current Music: MSNBC Live

Well, the ones I favorited anyway. I'm un-starring stuff as I copy down the quote or link. So, without further ado...

Favorite Tweets 2008

@sarking: "Election news! Which means -- I love this part -- roll the animation!" <3 #

@thetrainback: Obama has one electoral vote for every day of the year. :) #

@docsaico*: You're only as ugly as we think you are, kay? #

@docsaico*: Leviticus, chapter 20. And if a man lies down with another man, they have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Amen. #

@thetrainblack: My mom hadn't heard the story of Coulter-bitch breaking her jaw and having it wired shut. We *flailed* about the poetic justice of it all. #

@natthedem: "I won't quote back any of the things said about me. This is a family program, I know." - Barack Obama on Blago's opinion of him #

@sarking: My Pet Goat should be featured prominently in the G. Dubs Lie-berry. #

@sarking: Excuse me: Lie-bury. That's better than "Lie-berry." Lie-bury was the administration's main approach to governing. #

@thetrainblack: "Sydney Poitier, Bill Cosby, Oprah, Urkel. Starter negroes, if you will." #

@lalisa: @sarking American Family Association to gays: NO SOUP FOR YOU! #

*then @colbertobsessed

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: dorky
Current Music: MSNBC -- Your Business

Been spending time with Chris.

Been spending time tagging, both at my LJ and (LJ)sidetrackedery. I'll transfer those tags to their DW counterparts once I'm done.

Been trying to go through all the places I go to for links to share on (LJ/DW)sidetrackedery, including my LJ flist, my Twitter favorites list (which I've been working on for the last eight hours or so), and (this one's new this month) my Bloglines feed collective (or whatever I'm supposed to call it).

Been doing laundry, and dishes, and other housework. (Though Rich has been staying over since last weekend, making it hard to do laundry during my overnight waking hours--and also hard to play DDR at said time. :P)

Been to the counseling center, and had a good appointment. Next appointment, Cathy'll introduce me to a behavioral therapist who can help me keep my cool when I get upset (i.e., keep calm so I don't start crying, in such a way that whoever's conversatin' with me won't know I'm doing something I learned in behavioral therapy to keep my cool. :P

I've even been doodling in my gridded Moleskine. I'll have to take pictures and post them one of these days, though not all of them are finished.

...

So--what's going on with you? What're you doing, how're you feeling?

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: HGTV -- Divine Design

Chris and I just found out where we're going next: Fort Drum, NY. I've checked the tags, and I'm finding stuff like how it's where they do cold weather training for people going to Alaska (um...bullshit, we're in AK now and it's our first duty station!) and JUST DON'T GO and such. And stuff about how little there is to do and how harsh the winters are.

It's NOWHERE NEAR what we requested! We either wanted Ft. Lewis or ANYWHERE in the South. We're gonna try to get it changed, but until/unless that happens, it means I'm stuck with at least three more White Christmases.

If you know anything about this area, bad and good, please let me know! I'm googling it now.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: pissed off
Current Music: MSNBC -- The Rachel Maddow Show

Comment to this post, and I will:

1. Respond with something random about you.

2. Tell you which color you remind me of.

3. Tell you my first memory of you.

4. Tell you what animal you remind me of.

5. Ask you something I've always wondered about you.

6. Tell you my favorite thing about you.

7. Tell you my least favorite thing about you.

8. Challenge you to post this on your journal.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: amused
Current Music: MSNBC -- The Rachel Maddow Show

Meet the sloths from Amphibian Avenger on Vimeo.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: amused
Current Music: MSNBC -- First Look

The ending of Tuesday's NCIS season finale. WHAT THE FUCK HOW CAN YOU LEAVE IT LIKE THAT is all I'm gonna say.

AND I'm pissed at my DVR for not recording the teaser for the S8 premiere. FFFFFFUUUUUUUUU

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: pissed off
Current Music: MSNBC -- Countdown

Since I've made a lot of new friends since 2008...

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
Post a picture in my comments of what you think describes me when you think about what/who I am. Give no written explanation though. Just an image.

Macros are okay. ;)

Copy and paste into your own journal and see what others think about you in pictures!

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: dorky
Current Music: MSNBC -- Morning Joe

It’s time to dispel one of this nation’s greatest myths . . . There are indeed many atheists in foxholes.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation erected its monument to “Atheists in Foxholes” in 1999 at Lake Hypatia, Alabama.

The monument is dedicated to the many members of the military who were “atheists in foxholes,” as well as to all freethinkers (atheists, agnostics, and skeptics of any persuasion) who serve in the U.S. military.

The monument reads:

“In memory of ATHEISTS IN FOXHOLES and the countless FREETHINKERS who have served this country with honor and distinction.

“Presented by the national Freedom From Religion Foundation with hope that in the future humankind may learn to avoid all war.”

Foundation president Anne Nicol Gaylor originally proposed an “Atheists in Foxholes" monument to replace a cross on public property in San Diego.

The Foundation’s formal bid was rejected in favor of religious bidders.

Pat Cleveland invited the Foundation to erect its own monument on land donated by the Cleveland family in rural Alabama, as part of a freethought park. Pat is president of the Alabama Freethought Association, a Foundation chapter which also hosts the national Foundation’s southern Freethought Hall and auditorium near Talladega. The monument was formally dedicated at the chapter’s annual July 4th gala in 1999. To commemorate this special occasion, Alice Shiver read the following poem which she wrote:

Atheists in Foxholes

Atheists in foxholes, some say they are myths,
Creations of the mind who just don’t exist.

Yet, they answered the call to defend, with great pride.
With reason their watchword, they bled and they died.

They took Saratoga from the British crown,
Secured America’s freedom at the Battle of Yorktown.

From Sumter to Appomattox, fields flowed with their blood.
When the cannons grew silent, the flag proudly stood.

From the Marne to the Argonne, in trenches and tanks,
They defeated the Germans -- the whole world gave thanks.

They were bombed at Pearl Harbor, fought on to Berlin.
Many freethinking women served along with the men.

Still war keeps erupting -- Iraq, Bosnia, and Kosovo.
Where is the peace that eludes people so?

It is broken by tyrants who bear crosses and creeds,
That overshadow reason with hate and cruel deeds.

So atheists prevail until your work is complete.
Mothers mourn, children cry, and bigots plan your defeat.

By air, land, and sea, you answer freedom’s call.
Without god or faith, you seek liberty for all.

I've already been informed of the historical error about the Marne.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: blank
Current Music: MSNBC -- Countdown

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: okay
Current Music: "SyFy" -- Eureka

the ___ to my ___ meme

instructions/rules;;
♚ comment with your username.
♚ friends will analogies describing your relationship. (i.e., "you're the pb to my j" or "you're the yellow to my blue")
♚ pimp it!
♚ this is a drama free meme~
♚ watch

toast_ofthetown for more memes?

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: awake
Current Music: MSNBC -- Hardball

There is a website called Spokeo that posts your personal information based on what you input at various sites, such as Facebook, Myspace, etc. They post all sorts of personal things like the street you live on, your phone number, and even your credit score. You can easily opt out of this by going to theirprivacy page. That takes down your listing immediately.

And also for the v-gift. That was very thoughtful!

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: annoyed
Current Music: "SyFy" -- Eureka

Available here on Etsy!

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: "SyFy" -- Eureka

honey lover

you are the soothing hum
the grass stains on my jeans
the summer in my hair
the color in my cheeks
you are the the constant wave
beating against my heart
the warm honey on my lips
the paint on my nails
you are the perfect dance
and a moonlit ride
the sticky vanilla cream
you are the flower in my palm
the reason I smile
the chills down my spine
you are more than you'll ever know
you are the love of my life

by Rachel Strowbridge

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Current Mood: sappy as hell
Current Music: MSNBC Live

The stuff in italics is my commentary. :)

[ Source ]

Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day! In honor of the spouses that work so hard on the home-front I've compiled a list of 101 Ways to Thank a Military Spouse!

It is about Respect, Love, Admiration, Appreciation, and a simple Thank You.

Enjoy!

A simple "Thank You for Serving, too"

CHOCOLATE

Take the time to *listen* She may not have had an adult conversation for quite some time!

Don’t assume HE is not a military spouse. Thank the military-husbands too.

THIS.

Pick up something at the store that reminds you of her; a potted-plant, a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of wine, nail-polish & nail files, etc etc

Give her a call! Say ‘Thank You’ and find out how her day is going.

A day at the spa! (Thank you, @shelly_76)

That would kick ass. :)

FREE child-care. Watch her children for her. Let her do something on her own.

Invite her out for a local-sight-seeing tour. She might not know the area & enjoy learning.

Equip her.

For example, help around the house that needs a tall person or someone who can lift more than the spouse can while the servicemember is away. Best way to support the troops: supporting their families!

Take a spouse out for coffee or tea.

Social interaction? In person? That's just crazy talk. :P

Pray for him. Pray for her.

even those of us who don't believe in prayer appreciate the sentiment. Well, at least I do.

Make a fancy-drink. Pour two glasses. One for you, one for her. Make toasts and enjoy together.

*Give* him a book from your book-shelf that you enjoyed.

Offer to wash her car (Don’t forget to vacuum)

Business-owners: Host a special event just for spouses, don’t do it for monetary gain.

Do you garden? Bring her some of your produce; flowers, fruits, vegetables.

Give her personal space to miss her loved one. Then open-up your arms to take her in.

YES.

Gather your mutual-friends. Have a multi-family picnic.

If she calls asking for something, a cup of milk, some eggs, potatoes etc etc Lend with a cheerful heart and don't expect your 'gift' back!

Buy her a military-spouse shirt. Have it shipped to her: http://shop.cafepress.com/military-spouse

But please, nothing cheesy or offensive like "Army Issued Wife." :)

Find a military-spouse book she might enjoy: http://tinyurl.com/csm6wb

These, on the other hand, can be *quite* useful.

Plan a play-date at your house. Get the kids together and enjoy the day.

Sit with him at church. Not many enjoy sitting in the pew alone.

Take a picture. Send it in an email to her.

Or snail mail. It's nice to get stuff in the mail that isn't bills, especially during a deployment when we're constantly sending care packages to our servicemembers.

Offer to help with yard-work! (Thanks, @guamgurl)

True this! Especially for spouses in unfamiliar places with kids and a job and barely time to microwave dinner. Though I'd appreciate it too. ;)

Give her privacy if you sense she does not want to open up.

This is a big one. Also, don't take it personally if she doesn't want to open up *to you*.

( much more )

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: touched
Current Music: MSNBC -- Morning Joe

Most of you, if not all of you, know that I've been bouncing around like I've got ants in my pants wanting to get the hell out of Alaska and on to our next duty station. Our ideal stations would either be Ft. Lewis (near Seattle), anywhere in the Southeast (ideally including a possible but not likely posting in Florida), or, as Chris and I have recently discussed, the UK. But right now I really don't care where as long as (a) it's not Alaska and (b) there are things to do and places to shop (especially stuff for hard-to-fit chicks like me) there.

Aaaaaaanyhow...

I've been cataloging home decor ideas for the next place here because I'm looking forward to creating a home and not just "crappy college student housing," as I'm sure Katie would call this place. :P

The problem I'm finding in looking through design blogs and whatnot is that I'm finding stuff that's either laughably out of my price range (there are very few things that I'd be willing to pay more than $400 for and even fewer things that we'd be able to save up for furniture-wise because we'd wind up spending it on cool tech like the iPad or a Wii with all the Wii Fit fixin's), or they don't apply.

In base housing, you can't paint or wallpaper the walls (well you can but you have to put up primer before you move out and I can't be arsed to paint in the first place), you can't put more than a small nail in the wall, and you can't pull up the carpet or otherwise change the flooring.

So...

Any suggestions? I'm looking for pretty, portable, ideally lightweight, multi-use stuff for furniture and storage, and ideas for nice and easy-to-switch-out decorations.

Thanks in advance. :)

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: blah
Current Music: MSNBC -- Morning Joe

( behind the cut )

( lyrics )

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: impressed
Current Music: Sanctuary

... i.e., the stuff I didn't finish last week. :P

If it takes all month to get this stuff done, I'll be disappointed. But, if I get it all done by the 20th, I get a prize. Not sure what yet though.

Online:

Re-upload DW icons that can't be renamed
Finish up ordinarydream.net overhaul
Finish re-tagging my LJ
~~Post up to #50 at the Sidetrackedery Blogger blog (changed because I overhauled the ST blog at Blogger)~~

At home:

~~Mop basement~~
Sweep and mop kitchen and "dining area"
Vacuum living room and carpeted stairs
Switch out big and small folding tables
Vacuum home office
Re-organize living room (again)
Take thrift store stuff to the thrift store
Four loads of laundry (~~one~~) (~~two~~) (~~three~~) (~~four~~)
~~Another load of dishes~~
~~Shred old bill papers.~~

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: busy
Current Music: MSNBC -- Morning Joe

I call it "Duo torture" for short, because that's the first place I noticed it. There's always one character in a fandom with horrors in his or her past and insecurities in the present to angst over, and often an angst fic author will exacerbate those horrors/insecurities in hurt/comfort or other fics.

Which I devour, of course, even though they yank on my heartstrings something awful. Or maybe because they do. At least now I have people I can turn to for comfort when my insecurities and mental fuckity get to be too much, and they have me likewise.

So why do I mention all of this now? Because reading this angsty DiNozzo/McGee fic (I'm on Chapter 15 right now) reminded me of the term. It just seems like there's always someone, and tends to be a dude.

In Gundam Wing, it's (of course) Duo.

In Star Trek The Next Generation, it's Data. I think that one's more insecurity than horrors, though.

In NCIS fic, it's DiNozzo.

In Stargate: SG-1, it's Daniel. At least that one's understandable (as are Duo and Tony).

In Doctor Who, it's (of course) The Doctor. Reams of angst fodder be there.

In Star Trek: Voyager, it's Tom Paris. (Because twenty-fourth century prison colonies are worse than twentieth century prisons? Wot?)

In Torchwood, it's Jack.

Most of these are understandable, if you're familiar with the series. And of course an angst fic writer is going to amplify the horrors/insecurities. (In fact, I'd love to see some in-depth monologues or even meta essays on The Doctor's or Captain Jack's angsty past and angsty present thoughts thereabouts. Recs are not just welcome but encouraged!)

...um, there was really no point to this, just an observation... :P

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: thoughtful
Current Music: Silverchair -- Faultline

Only 74% nontheist? Huh. :P

1.	Secular Humanism (100%)
2.	Unitarian Universalism (92%)
3.	Nontheist (74%)
4.	Liberal Quakers (72%)
5.	Neo-Pagan (63%)
6.	Theravada Buddhism (62%)
7.	Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (60%)
8.	New Age (47%)
9.	Reform Judaism (46%)
10.	Taoism (42%)
11.	Scientology (36%)
12.	New Thought (33%)
13.	Orthodox Quaker (33%)
14.	Sikhism (33%)
15.	Mahayana Buddhism (31%)
16.	Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (27%)
17.	Baha'i Faith (25%)
18.	Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (25%)
19.	Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (18%)
20.	Eastern Orthodox (15%)
21.	Islam (15%)
22.	Jainism (15%)
23.	Orthodox Judaism (15%)
24.	Roman Catholic (15%)
25.	Seventh Day Adventist (14%)
26.	Hinduism (10%)
27.	Jehovah's Witness (7%)

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: amused
Current Music: MSNBC Live

Ganked from (LJ)simply_fly_away.

Age: 26; 27 on (American) Thanksgiving.

Where did you grow up: Mostly Titusville, Florida, USA.

1. A body of water, smaller than a river, contained within relatively narrow banks.

stream or creek

2. What the thing you push around the grocery store is called.

shopping cart or just cart, sometimes "buggy" in the South

3. A metal container to carry a meal in.

lunch box

4. The thing that you cook bacon and eggs in.

frying pan or just pan

5. The piece of furniture that seats three people.

couch or sofa

6. The device on the outside of the house that carries rain off the roof.

gutter

7. The covered area outside a house where people sit in the evening.

porch or patio, though my dad uses "lanai"

8. Carbonated, sweetened, non-alcoholic beverages.

soda--I find it hella annoying when my Southern brethren call all soda "Coke"

9. A flat, round breakfast food served with syrup.

sounds like a pancake to me

10. A long sandwich designed to be a whole meal in itself.

a sub (short for submarine sandwich)

11. The piece of clothing worn by men at the beach.

swim trunks (unless they're board shorts or a Speedo)

12. Shoes worn for sports.

tennis shoes

13. Putting a room in order.

cleaning up

14. A flying insect that glows in the dark.

firefly or lightning bug

15. The little insect that curls up into a ball.

roly poly :)

16. The children's playground equipment where one kid sits on one side and goes up while the other sits on the other side and goes down.

see-saw

17. How do you eat your pizza?

with my hands, point to crust if I'm in front of the TV, with a knife and fork if I'm at the computer

18. What's it called when private citizens put up signs and sell their used stuff?

garage sale or yard sale (my dad's from the Midwest, he sometimes calls 'em tag sales)

19. What's the evening meal?

dinner, though as a Southern Girl I suppose I should say "supper" :P

20. The thing under a house where the furnace and perhaps a rec room are?

basement...which I'd only seen once in person before moving to Alaska (living in Florida = no basements)

21. What do you call the thing that you can get water out of to drink in public places?

water fountain

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: amused
Current Music: MSNBC Live

It was wonderful. I got up around 1730 and while Chris finished up his video game I made coffee (and put it in a container to heat up individual cups whenever) and unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, and then we went to the movie theater to see what was playing, and bought tickets for the 2150 3-D showing of How to Train Your Dragon. Then we stopped by GameStop and Barnes & Noble (they're right next door to each other so if I'm there with Chris, we always hit both places), and then we had dinner at Geraldo's, a local Italian restaurant.

Dinner was wonderful, super tasty, and the first time Chris and I had gone out to eat at an actual restaurant...this year, at least. We both had books and read them on occasion (even after our food arrived) but there was still conversation in between. That's one thing I love about Chris--he's not offended if I'm reading during dinner, especially since he usually is too. (Usually when we have dinner together at home, it's in front of a movie or TV show, but we talk during the show and fistbump at oh-snap moments. ^_^)

After that we got back in plenty of time for the movie. After finally finding a change machine that works, I played DDR with a stranger who was there with two of his friends. Chris held my bag and joked about 'knowing his place as husband' with his fellow spectators. There were three levels, each in "easy" mode, and my "competitor" (whom I helped by figuring out where the old-ass sensors still worked and letting him know) and I both cleared all three levels...and learned that there were only three and that the game was over. Boo. But it was just about time to go into our theater and take our seats and start munching on our munchies. Even some of the previews were in 3-D! XD

And the movie was...AWESOME. :D The story, the animation, even the fat kid rattling off D&D stats. ^___^ This is definitely, definitely, a movie to see in 3-D! (Though if you're wearing glasses I hope your 3-D glasses are more comfortable than mine were.) Also, I totally want a Toothless plushie!

...so that's about it for my Saturday. It's now 0034 I've spent the last half hour writing this entry and watching the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Later, all. :)

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: MSNBC -- White House Correspondents' Dinner

I just finished watching Your Business on MSNBC.

Towards the end of the show, the host and panel answer reader emails.

One of the emails was about what a small business owner was to do regarding maternity leave. He knew he couldn't afford to pay for the maternity leave but he wanted to be fair.

The two panelists--both men--both said that the business owner would have to decide if it was worth keeping the pregnant woman on and granting her maternity leave. One said that the business owner should make a policy regarding all female employees, and the other said that it was okay to grant some women maternity leave and some not based on how vital they were to the country.

So let's see what this woman's possible options are:

1. Work as usual until she pops, and be back bright and early the next day. Not good even in a low-risk pregnancy. Impossible in a high-risk pregnancy.

2. Work from home, if possible, by computer, or do some kind of flex-time.

Or, as these guys are suggesting...

3. Get fired, for daring to be the female of the species and reproduce.

(So paternity leave is totally out of the question, I take it?)

Okay, I know that they're talking about a small business here, but what the actual fuck?

I am ashamed, as an American, that this is even an issue. Is this how the world's biggest superpower treats its women? (Answer: Yes, it is.)

We can has socialist nanny sate nao?

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: pissed off
Current Music: MSNBC -- Treasure Hunt

Two copies of Diva Magazine:

A Cadbury Dairy Milk candy bar and a bunch of awesome stickers and brad thingies (on the left). They're so pretty, I don't know if I can use them!

(Edit, Saturday early morning: just realized that this is the first time in my whole life that I've been given roses by another female. Well, no, Meghan P. gave me a rose on Valentine's Day my senior year. Though it didn't have my name on it or anything, I think she just bout however many and handed them out as she noticed friends. Which is still something, but Tria sent her rose stickers all the way from England. ^_^)

---

( Another cool thing! )

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: jubilant
Current Music: MSNBC -- Who Do You Think You Are?

When Fizzy and I are online together, and there's no conversation, but the chat windows stay open for half an hour, an hour, two hours, more, I like to imagine we're in the living room with laptops, Fizzy (and Chris, if I expand the fantasy outside just the chat) on the couch and me on the recliner, an episode of [whatever] going unwatched on the teevee machine.

Every once in awhile one of us will get up for snackage, taking whatever empty cups/plates of the other's as well as our own. She'll bring me another can of Diet Pepsi and I'll thank her with a smile, and I'll offer her a handful of Reesycups and she'll take them with a thank-you and go back to where she was sitting and it'll be quiet again except for the clicking of us at our laptops and the noise of the TV.

And every once in awhile I'll look over at her (or them) and wonder what I ever did to deserve such good fortune. :)

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: optimistic
Current Music: MSNBC -- The Ed Show

three_weeks_for_dw started on Monday the 26th, and prompts and fills can begin immediately. :)

You may define crack!fic as you like, but in general stories should make the reader wonder, "what was ze smoking and why isn't ze sharing?"

Pairings/threeings/moreings don't have to be limited to sentient beings (You want to 'ship someone with the TARDIS, or Paul McDermott's Hair, or Gibbs's awesome yellow classic car? Go for it!), but all sentient beings in sexual situations must be consenting adults.

All fandoms are welcome, including RPF. (In fact, I'm hoping for some cracky pundit!fic.) :)

Anon commenting is on, so anon prompting and filling are options if you choose them.

Example prompts:

NCIS, Gibbs/Ducky/Gibbs's awesome yellow classic car, "an oldie but a goodie"

Star Trek: TNG, Geordi/Data's Head from "Time's Arrow," head case.

Torchwood, Jack/Pterodactyl, "see? he likes it!"

--

A few guidelines for posting, ganked in their entirety from kanata (with a few additions):

If posting a fill longer than will fit in one comment box, please post any subsequent parts as replies to the fill, rather than the prompt, so that it may be more easily linked.

Please put "fill" and the title of your fic (if you have one) in the subject line, so it's easier for people to find the fics.

Prompts can be answered more than once.

You may repost immediately on your DW or in another DW comm, but remember, no reposting outside of DW until three weeks after the date you post the fill. Once the Three Weeks fest is over, you can post them off DW wherever you like.

This fic-a-thon is open indefinitely.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: hopeful
Current Music: MSNBC -- Countdown

~~Take Chris's cook whites and the zillion hangers to the quartermaster and pick up clean cook whites~~ (finished 4/29)

~~Two loads of laundry~~ (finished 4/28)

~~Check internet for candle wax bead prices~~ (finished 4/27)

Mop basement

Sweep and mop kitchen and "dining area"

Vacuum living room and carpeted stairs

Move six-foot table and folding chairs to the kitchen

Move smaller table to the home-office.

Clean up living room (again)

Take thrift-store stuff to the thrift store

Whatever else I'm forgetting (like ~~dishes~~ [finished 4/28])

Also, I took a closer look at the scale. Body fat percentage may be 45, but my BMI is 33.5, and that's the number I need to get below 25. The task seems less daunting now.

And it means I'm merely obese, not morbidly obese. (18-25 = healthy, 25-30 = overweight, 30-35 = obese, 35+ = morbidly obese)

Also-also...

I'm a redhead again!

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: busy
Current Music: MSNBC -- Morning Joe

Saturday: unloaded the dishwasher, tidied up in the living room, lots of doodling on graph paper.

Yesterday: three loads of laundry, lots of organizing in the basement, took the trash out, loaded the dishwasher, playing with glue sticks and watching of NCIS.

Today: two loads of laundry, lots more organizing in the basement (hoping to have it done tomorrow), set aside a zillion wire hangers and Chris's dirty cook whites to take to the quartermaster tomorrow, checked at Michaels and Jo Ann's to see about candle beads pricing for the FRG craft/fundraising thingy (unfortunately, neither store sells them except in two kits...dammit, gonna have to order online). Also tore the stickers and scrubbed the glue off at least four Frappucino bottles (for the FRG candle thingy).

Planned for Tomorrow: Take Chris's cook whites and the zillion hangers to the quartermaster and pick up clean cook whites, do more laundry, move all of Chris's army stuff that's still on the ground floor to the basement, finish organizing and then sweep the basement.

Planned for Wednesday: Mop basement, sweep and mop kitchen and "dining area," vacuum living room and carpeted stairs, more laundry. (There's lots of it, mostly because I keep finding stuff in bins as I was organizing the basement.) If there's time, ~~try to make money~~ play with glue sticks some more.

Planned for Thursday: take the table from my home-office downstairs and use it as a kitchen table. Also bring all the folding chairs to the kitchen. The cedar chest, since I can't move it on my own, will have to be a bench seat. Take the smaller folding table upstairs to my home-office and use it for my playing-with-glue sticks area. Clean up living room, leave dire warnings to Chris about what'll happen if he makes a big mess again (don't worry, I won't hurt him; I only make idle threats).

Planned for Friday: Take thrift-store stuff to the thrift store. Then come home, have a Pepsi float, watch the last two episodes of Eureka Season 3.0, and LOAF LIKE A MOFO.

Unless I'm not caught up. But I'm pretty sure I can do it all this week. But in the right now, it's time for bed!

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: ambitious
Current Music: the noises of outside my building

I didn't stay out the whole time to watch the sunrise this morning, but there was lots of light coming up over the hills to the east when I wiped the tears off my face*, shivered a bit (it's cold!), and went inside.

So to get something right, I'm posting this poem I found a few days ago at

exceptindreams that, while not about Gallipoli or even Australia, seemed fitting for the day.

"The Signal"
Sharon Olds

When they brought his body back, they told
his wife how he'd died:
the general thought they had taken the beach,
and sent in his last reserves. In the smokescreen,
the boats moved toward shore. Her husband
was the first man in the first boat
to move through the smoke and see the sand
dark with bodies, the tanks burning,
the guns thrown down, the landing craft
wrecked and floored with blood. In the path of the
bullets and shells from the shore, her husband had
put on a pair of white gloves
and turned his back on the enemy,
motioning to the boats behind him
to turn back. After everyone else
on his boat was dead
he continued to signal, then he, too,
was killed, but the other boats had seen him
and turned back. They gave his wife the medal,
and she buried him, and at night floated through
a wall of smoke, and saw him at a distance
standing in a boat, facing her,
the gloves blazing on his hands as he motioned her back.

--

*I took my last Effexor yesterday and since I just got up at quarter of two, I don't want an all-day crying headache. I may wind up with one anyway, but I can at least try to hold it off.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: somber
Current Music: the noises of outside my building

I even tried watching The O'Reilly Factor last night, but Brit Hume on. I found it amusing that the propaganda wing of the Republican Party would have a guy named BRIT on their flagship show.

Heehee. :)

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: not bad, not bad at all
Current Music: MSNBC -- First Look

My garden is filled with papayas and mangos
My life is a mixture of reggaes and tangos
Taste for the good life
I can't live it no other way
While out on the beach there are two empty chairs
That say more than the people who ever sit there
>From under my lone palm
I can look out on the day

Chorus:
Where no bird flies by my window
No ship is tied to my tree
Love is a wave building to a crescendo
Ride if you will, ride it with me

I knew this girl made of memories and phrases
Who lived her whole life in both chapters and stages
Danced 'til the dawn
Wished all her worries away
Well she wasn't crazy, no she wasn't mad
She just wanted the father that she never had
From under my lone palm
I think about her today

Chorus:
Where no bird flies by my window
No ship is tied to my tree
Love is a wave building to a crescendo
Ride if you will, ride it with me

We sailed from the port of indecision
Young and wild with oh so much to learn
Days turned into years
As we tried to fool our fears
But to the port of indecision I returned

My gardens are filled with papayas and mangos
My life is a mixture of jingles and jangles
Come Christmas winds
Blow all my worries away

Chorus:
Where no bird flies by my window
No ship is tied to my tree
Love is a wave building to a crescendo
Ride if you will, ride it with me

Sing if you will, sing to the sea
(No bird flies by my window)
(No ship is tied to my tree)

--Jimmy Buffett, "Lone Palm"
Fruitcakes, 1993

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: meh
Current Music: MSNBC -- Way Too Early

( source )

In the name of science, I offer my boobs

This little bit of supernatural thinking has been floating around the blogosphere today:

"Many women who do not dress modestly ... lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes," Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi was quoted as saying by Iranian media. Sedighi is Tehran's acting Friday prayer leader.

I have a modest proposal.

Sedighi claims that not dressing modestly causes earthquakes. If so, we should be able to test this claim scientifically. You all remember the homeopathy overdose?

Time for a Boobquake.

On Monday, April 26th, I will wear the most cleavage-showing shirt I own. Yes, the one usually reserved for a night on the town. I encourage other female skeptics to join me and embrace the supposed supernatural power of their breasts. Or short shorts, if that's your preferred form of immodesty. With the power of our scandalous bodies combined, we should surely produce an earthquake. If not, I'm sure Sedighi can come up with a rational explanation for why the ground didn't rumble. And if we really get through to him, maybe it'll be one involving plate tectonics.

So, who's with me? I may be a D cup, but that will probably only produce a slight tremor on its own. If you'll be joining me on twitter, use the tag #boobquake! Or join the facebook event!

Ms. McCreight, my bow, my axe, and my jugtacular 38G cleavage are at your disposal.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: amused
Current Music: MSNBC -- The Rachel Maddow Show

The friend isn't out of the woods yet, but suffice it to say, things are less dire.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: relieved
Current Music: MSNBC -- Morning Joe

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: creative
Current Music: MSNBC -- Morning Joe

Totally ganked from (LJ)bluebombardier.

Those apps look really cooooooooool. XD

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: geeky
Current Music: MSNBC -- Countdown

Okay, so this actually happened yesterday morning, but I still need to vent.

Trialia and I were talking on Google Talk, and a friend of hers who lives in Dubuque was feeling suicidal. I don't feel the details are mine to disclose but suffice it to say, things were going very, very badly for this friend.

She had tried to reach the Dubuque Police Department, with no luck. The main line was closed since it was Sunday. I tried calling. No luck.

I got the idea to call the local fire department, so they could hook me up with the emergency line, since I wasn't nearly close enough to call 911 and get the Dubuque line. I got their answering machine too.

Dammit.

After some more thinking (and some fooding) I though, well, how 'bout a crisis hotline? And guess what?

I got a fucking answering machine at the fucking suicide hotline.

There was even a "press 4 to talk to a real person" WHICH TOOK ME RIGHT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MESSAGE. I found this out after pressing four times and realizing I was getting THE SAME DAMN MESSAGE.

I was out of ideas by then. I went to Twitter and Facebook to see if anyone was (or knew someone who was) close enough to Dubuque to call 911 and get someone to check on the friend. It was around that time that Tria was able to reach the Cedar Rapids police department, which went to go check on her friend.

So for all of that...

WHAT THE FUCK, IOWA?

Not that I think it's just Iowa. I'm sure many states (FSM forbid, even most) would have the same problem. And I think it's fucking ridiculous.

Come on now, how many times have we seen on the news where someone was stopped from killing themself (or someone else) because the local police got a call from an online friend on the other side of the country, or the world?

There needs to be a line, easy to look up online, that anyone can call (or instant-message) anywhere in the world, from which an operator can call the local 911 in a situation like this. Hell, I bet there are lots of people (myself included) out there who'd volunteer to do that kind of thing if they had all the information they needed.

...

Well, I guess that's it. No way for someone outside Dubuque to call authorities (or even the suicide hotline!) in Dubuque to stop a potential suicide on a Sunday. This is a FAIL.

Current Location: Fort Wainwright, AK
Current Mood: pissed off
Current Music: MSNBC -- Morning Joe