Family drama time. My aunt died. She's an aunt by marriage. My mom feels she lost a brother when he married his wife. She sympathizes in the sense her brother lost his wife, their kids lost their mother, but beyond that... She didn't really know the woman and hasn't really known her brother since he married her. So it's not like she lost a friend or family really. As she said, she knows her garbage man better.
Now my aunt (my mom's sister) lives in that part of the country. She feels they should all be at the funeral. That's a big expense for someone you don't know. Taking time off of work. Etc. My mom told her she won't be able to and even if she could she wouldn't. She assured my aunt if it were her who had died, yes she'd find a way, she's just not doing it for someone who has never been in her life. Seems logical eh? Guess not. My aunt broke out mom's middle name :P So she's in trouble.
Last time she was in trouble was over my grandma's memorial service. Mom and I were with my Grandma the day she died. Mom had gone so far as to take a second job at the convalescent hospital she died in. We watched her die for years. Cared for her. And both myself and my mom felt we said our goodbyes and I for one was too much of a mess to do a public memorial service, didn't feel it was for me, etc. Myself and my mom not going = my aunt didn't talk to my mom for years. I hope this is not a repeat. I know my mom loves her sister, but eeek. Hard to believe they're sisters ;)
*cough, sneeze, ugh* Cold for new years... fun fun I'm gonna go sleep, a lot. Enjoy the celebrations, but please stay safe. DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE!!!
http://www.selectsmart.com/president/2008.html
1. Theoretical Ideal Candidate (100%)
2. Alan Augustson (campaign suspended) (82%)
3. Dennis Kucinich (81%)
4. Joseph Biden (78%)
5. Hillary Clinton (76%)
6. Christopher Dodd (75%)
7. Barack Obama (74%)
8. Al Gore (not announced) (70%)
9. John Edwards (69%)
10. Wesley Clark (not running, endorsed Clinton) (69%)
*snip*
30. Stephen Colbert (campaign halted) (10%)
I got Muppet Show Season One DVD
Finally plugged in the external HD. Moved some stuff to it, made sure it was there and good... and backed up on space Brian gave me on his comp too and deleted it from the laptop. w00t! Friggin windows can stop yelling at me via annoying pop up things about what a loser I am and how I need to clear up some room or else! 8 gig free on laptop. Something like 60 free on external drive. I happy.
Lots of time spent stalking Mijn Favoriet and T tonight.
Still sick. Bought cold medicine.
That is all.
Since the death of Bhutto was announced I've been thinking about terrorism. Not in the typical way politicians here want me to think of it. No not in the vote *insert name here to help keep your family safe from it* way. In a wtf? sort of way.
Now, I know terrorists don't commit all of their acts with the US / western world in mind. But they do so like our reactions it seems. They like to shock us. They like to scare us. You know what it doesn't scare me, it confuses me though. Why, you ask? I'll tell you why...
I live in a country where moms frequently kill their own children because God told them to. A country where men kill their wives then smile for the cameras as they give interviews, laughing more as more evidence builds against them. A country that gives birth to citizens like Charles Manson and Jeffrey Dahmer. A country where in my lifetime a man shot at a president not for political reasons but because he'd hoped Jodie Foster would notice him.
The fact that terrorists exist does not surprise me. It does not shock me. What does confuse me and ok maybe does shock me a bit is that they have ideals they believe in so strongly they'd die for them... but not live for. They will kill a woman and not stick around to explain their reasons, instead strap a bomb to their body and blow themselves to pieces taking out whoever may be near by. I don't know why that man killed Bhutto. Oh, I can guess. But I live in a country where men do such things for no reason and then stick around to explain or to lie about having done it at all, knowing what they did was so horrible they won't even take credit for it. But if you believe you're so right, why blow yourself up. Why not stick around and fight for what you believe in that strongly? You believe so much you'd die for it, but not enough to try to make your own beliefs known, not enough to keep fighting for changes to come about?
Our country is indeed messed up. But this democracy you want to stop, this freedom of speech you hate, is exactly what you should be taking advantage of. Why not tell us what it is you believe. A bomb tells me nothing. A bullet tells me nothing. Violence, from anyone, says nothing to me more than you can push a button, pull a trigger, whatever. It doesn't tell me what you're fighting for. It doesn't tell me what you're mad about.
I saw, on television, as a small kid, the president my grandfather had a picture of at the dinner table shot by a man trying to get the attention of a friggin actress. Shooting, bombing... violence... it tells me nothing of motivation. Not when I live in a country where things happen for such silly reasons. I'm sure Bhutto wasn't killed for something so stupid. But being a world away from that culture, I can admit, I don't really know. Pundits. Experts. They can try to explain. To speak for the dead murderer. But I don't know what he believes he was fighting for. And now I never will. How can you believe in something so strongly you'll die for it, but yet not say while alive what it is you are dying for? You let those left behind speak for you? That's stupid. They can say whatever they like. They speak for you. They put words into your mouth. That is what you die for?
Yes, I am ignorant. I admit that. I don't understand all that goes on everywhere in the world. I've never left the United States. I don't get it.
The AP is reporting that Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has been killed.
This at a heavily government secured rally. I expect all hell to break loose in Pakistan, didn't she have more than a few followers?
Mijn Favoriet sent me a Christmas card that got here today. It's a very very sweet card. More fancy and sweet than the usual cheesy Christmas card. Titled May You Always Have an Angel. Now his hand written letter assures me that while he didn't make it himself, he did pick it out all by himself ;) So I'm just going to assume it's all what he'd have written -- well if he were that mushy and not so sarcastic usually. ♥ He also drew me a Yoshi, though his pen didn't listen to his request to make it red for the holiday, how rude of it, heh. Mijn Favoriet rocks. Hmm not to question his motives or anything but I must wonder if he was trying to be super sweet and show off his sweet side via a card... or if he was just trying to beat T in the awwww this is such a good card Ramie will be MY Angel department *smirk*
In other news, went shopping, saw a man throwing things and yelling about how this is America when the cashier didn't bother to tell all of the people in line she'd "been closed for awhile". Got cute shoes. Got blonde hair dye so I can go orange again (Brian, oddly enough, likes it better than red while finding it too bright until I shampoo it once or twice he still does think it looks good on me). Got some bras. Got the kitties a tall cat climbing post w/ perch to replace the cardboard box lister had been sitting on since it got thrown out once we removed the Christmas presents from it. Watched the 3rd Pirates movie.
Overall, very useful, very me presents. Though I did tell mom I hope she wasn't offended the Angels will be in my kitchen cabinets as I don't have a very adult apartment aka no bookshelves etc to display them on until we someday move into a bigger apartment with more room aka our apartment is a disaster area with no room for anything as it is right now.
Mom got Brian The Structure of Man DVDs, he's not even watched them yet but is already way excited.
My sister apparently stayed home, didn't even try to spend time with Mike. Played with Keegan and Maddy. They all went to dinner at Pat's house. Pat suggested she and Keegan come over on weekends and he'll teach Keegan to use his guitar. And now... My brother is Marrying Maddy's mommy on Valentine's day in a donut shop they met at. In Hawaiian shirts with an all midget band playing. *nods* That's my family. heh. He's getting married on the same day I got married, I hope that's not a bad sign :P
He then told me, while giggling, that my present was going to make his mom and grandma crazy because he already heard it making a lot of noise in the box. heh.
Brian installed the new ram in my laptop early. 1 gig now = I can watch youtube videos without my computer choking. w00t! In return Brian got his LED mutli-coloured lightbulb which is now in the hallway. He currently has it set to "red alert" To which I replied "And you didn't even have to change the bulb". <-- Red Dwarf reference.
BTW - Brian would like to be referred to as an Artiste now. He will be getting a new hat aka a beret to wear (on Halloween) and was critiquing the colour of the moon tonight (the white balance was off), the colour of his tea (too much cyan), the colour of my blue raspberry drink (so horrible it was primary blue), etc.
I remembered to get my shot out of the fridge, so I'll be stabbing myself in the gut with a needle soon. In about 2 hours Brian will be announcing "It's Christmas, I get to open presents". I know this, as he's already doing a countdown despite the fact he already got his present from me and I tell him every year, we open when we wake up on Christmas day, even if that means afternoon :P
Between game drama / worrying my T was gonna leave it and irc (which would mean leave me) and our grocery shopping and watching some 1 cent Christmas show dvd (Silver Spoons, Married With Children, and News Radio Christmas specials) etc I totally spaced my shot tonight. They came on Saturday. I did one Saturday night. Erm I will do it tomorrow, really. It's been a year plus since I was on them. Not in the habit of stabbing myself with a needle again.
My brother liked the digital painting anyway. Guess he didn't know I was crafty. He keeps up so well :P
