Monday, January 30, 2006

Rushing

I'm not exactly sure why but i suddenly have a great need to get all my sewing projects finished. THis has led to a finishing of the muffs for my bridesmaids! Hurray!!

Over the last week, all i seem to be able to do is rush. i don't know why exactly, but life just seems to have gotten much more urgent.

We can only hope that this means i'll be returning home soon.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Australia Day


Last night I was asked what my plans were for Australia day. Currently living about a million miles away from such wonders as the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, I find it difficult to plan any sort of celebrations. I look around me and see NOTHING even remotely Australia...with the possible exception of my wardrobe which seems to cause a great amount of cultural discussion. (who knew sarongs were such a novelty?)

With no hint of Australian culture in my sites, a choice for celebration is difficult. I suppose I could do go out drinking...but I'm not a drinker and as my friends continue to tell me "American beer is too ****ing close to water".

I could go to the zoo and admire the frozen Australian animals but I feel that that may only be a way of condoning animal cruelty.

So in the end, I will go to work, take my dog to the vet, nurse it back to health, and try to finish sewing a dress.

It isn't a very celebratory day, but Australia is never far from my mind.

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Privacy


The US government is taking in a mouthful for this Child Online Protection Act. The Act, brought in by the Bush administration, works to make sure that sites with pornography are not available to minors. Critics of this proposal are quick to point out that the methods used to do this involve invasion of privacy for many many people. The Supreme Court declined to rule on it, saying that the decision needed to be put on a full trial to determine if it was constitutional.

This trial is causing quite a stir with subpoenas for search terms of a broad swath of the search engine's visitors. All major search engines were subpoenad. The government claimed that they wanted to find out the terms used in searching were. However, it seems that Yahoo's contribution of this information was not enough. Without actually giving all information about the searchers themselves, this information would seem to be useless. IF the government gets the entirity of the information, then it would seem that an invasion of privacy had taken place. Now, not only does the search engine have your details, so does the government.

So far, only Google is fighting back. Google is also the biggest collector of personal information. So what is next? who knows. It is the next few weeks that will determine how safe the world is from the US big brother.

Friday, January 20, 2006

Now what?


While everyone knows that the US government isn't the the brightest in the intellectual field. It was the latest report, however, that pushed the issue just that little further.

An official report was released claiming that the US had incorporated a policy of torture.

The White House spokesman, Scott Mccellan, without actually reading the 500 page report was quoted as saying. "It appears the report is based more on a political agenda than on facts. The United States of America does more than any country in the world to advance freedom and promote human rights."

I don't know of a single english teacher that would ever let me get away doing a book report on a book i've never read. It is sad when it is allowed in government. It is would also be nice if they actually did some research on some of those "facts".

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Lawsuit


I am one of the first to admit that I don't trust my government. Maybe it is too many conspiracy theories or too many classes where I'm taught to be skeptical of everything. But I don't trust my government.

My faith in government dealing has not been increased by the resent acknowledgement that President Bush has misused-used his power, allowing much "eaves-dropping" without any sort of protection to the people he serves.

Recently the ACLU, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Greenpeace and several individuals came together to file a lawsuit claiming that the Bush administration has abused their privileges in office.

I suddenly feel pride again in my nation. While I don't trust my government, I feel safer knowing that a lawsuit isn't being squashed before it ever begins. At least for the moment, my freedom of speech is still being protected....at least to some degree.

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

one of those moments


i saw this image on post secrets and i loved it.

i suppose i should put up the disclaimer that i do not now nor have i ever endorsed mentally tormenting mothers.

now that that is out of the way, how funny is the idea of hiding your mother's (or father's) keys?!

well, i loved the idea until i realised that knowing my mother she would take MY keys instead and then actually loose mine. I would then be forced to find HER keys the next time she went out, she would then loose those keys too (for real this time) and i would be without any form of car keys for the rest of eternity...

some how that last thought just kind of ruins the whole idea of hiding the car keys....

Monday, January 16, 2006

Domesticated


As the date of my wedding draws closer and the date of my departure looms overhead, I have been busy making sure all projects are finished up. This includes my 4 (unfinished) sewing projects. It is strange that as one begins nearing the end, more and more things fall into the way to prevent the completion of these projects. This last week it was the sewing machine that decided to end its life with a power surge that killed its wiring. I found it particularly interesting that it chose now to die....but I found a way around this small glitch. I borrowed an even older sewing machine from a neighbour. It is fun to sew on but I must admit, it is a lot more difficult to handle. Thus my sewing adventures are much slower. But, hopefully, I'll slowing get thru my many projects by the end of next month!

Saturday, January 14, 2006

Life in context


Celebrity gossip seems to be something that the vast majority of the population just can't get enough of. It is something that we seem to crave to know. We MUST know who is pregnant, who is getting married and who is getting divorced and why! I was particularly appalled when one show mentioned the "painful" divorce of two (unnamed) celebrities. The host then went on to announce that full details of these divorces could be found at their website. What has become of our society when we market the pain of other people?? Have we reverted back to the days of the coliseum?

I've been reading about ancient European Kings and Queens. I was shocked to find the same sort of carnivorous nature displayed hundreds of years ago in royal palaces. Royal and noble families were the target of all manner of gossip, some true some false. Not only was gossip used for entertainment, it was used as political motivator and as justification for less than noble acts.

But what is the point today? Why do we need to know all the intimate details of celebrities lives? Some have suggested that we find out own lives so completely boring that we must immerse ourselves in something that is more fascinating than us. We forget that we have taken ordinary people, given them money and made them into our gods. We don't see that our need for this idol illustrates a hole that desperately needs to be filled.

And like the biblical Joshua, I cry "choose you this day whom you will spend time watching. But as for me I will spend my time enjoying a full life!"

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Internal Musings


I was a dark and stormy night when I lay my head against my pillow to sleep. The rain continually beat at my window creating strange shapes that morphed and then submitted to gravity's command, sliding down to collect on my seal.

The clock said 11:30 but it was wrong. As usual the clock had been set for 5 minutes ahead. I don't know why. It must be a family trait. I have often found that I, a million miles away from my father's particulars, set my clock fast. It is just one of those things.

The clock ticked past. Time apparently was moving but my mind was standing still. Every second dragged out like hours and hours were millennia. Would morning ever come?

Questions now poured into my soul from some outside source. The source threatened to drown me. How would I get back? When would I get back? What would it be like when I got there? Would it be like it was before? Should I find a job now? Should I hope for a job later?....The questions only continued and answers stayed at bay.

Time and life are intertwined but for that moment, they did fray.

Monday, January 09, 2006

Is this "American sentiment"?



I was raised to believe that my birth country (the USA) worked for the freedom of all its citizens. I was brought up believing that freedom of speech was encouraged. I was taught that the United States of America wanted people to think for themselves. They encouraged other countries to think for themselves by helping to establish democratic governments. I was taught that the USA worked to include all people. Printed on the statue of liberty are the words:

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

I believe that once this ideal was not only believed but aimed for. Somewhere along the way, however, the desire for "perfection" has turned the country into the very thing it once fought against.

The birth of the America's began with a war. They fought against a country that wanted to control trading arrangements to the benefit of itself. Today, the USA does the same thing.

If the USA continues on its current path, it will become the very entity that it has fought so long against. It will become a theorocracy, a dictatorship, and a burden. The latest choice for Supreme Court Judge proves this. I do not rant against my country of birth, I rant against the personal freedoms that are being sacrified for "religious" reasons. Was this country not founded on the principle that church and state are separate?

But maybe I am just old fashioned. Maybe I am out of tune with what is needed in this country. Maybe I just don't belong.

Saturday, January 07, 2006

Bridesmaid Dress


dresses2
Originally uploaded by narnia_k.
Well, here it is. This is what two of my bridesmaids will look like at out wedding. Click the picture for more pictures of these dresses!

Friday, January 06, 2006

flooding


creek2
Originally uploaded by narnia_k.
i told you i was going to post more pics.

here is a view of the canal directly behind out house. sadly, the poor tree gave its life rescuing much rubbish out of the canal.

i had a look out back today, however, and the canal has gone down. there doesn't seem to be as much water EVERYWHERE as there was a few days ago.

i have much hope that we won't get washed away!

Monday, January 02, 2006

flooding

It started last friday and just hasn't had a chance to really stop. The rain continues to fall and the waters continue to rise from northern california all the way through Oregon. While Oregon's flooding isn't as bad, we're still quite concerned about the rising water level in our canal behind our house. (i'll put up pics later)

But just so you know, there seems to be no immediate threat to us and the only inconvience it seems to have really brought is the fact many roads are closed due to land/mud slides.

Sadly, this is probably the biggest excitement i've had since the Syndey fires that forced me (and a few friends) to stay in Sydney overnight.

But we must be grateful for even the little things;)