| Cathy 的个人资料Mom in America 2照片日志列表 |  工具  帮助 |
|
|
4月11日 Powered Up!So we have finally gotten cable here. This is an incredibly different experience for blogging now! Gone are the days of having to wait forever to bring the blog up. It's really very cool! I can just click and wherever now.
It's funny because most places do have cable, but this mountain I live on didn't primarily because of principle. It's kind of a victory story, really. You see, about 7 years ago the cable company did, in fact, want to run the cable up the mountain here. To do so would cost roughly $15,000. Rather than do the right thing and run the cable themselves, the cable company told us that my neighbors and I would have to foot the bill. As everyone on this mountain knew that they could, in fact, live without cable, and that sooner or later the cable company would have to run it anyway, we all told them "No." Those who wanted tv got satillite dishes that sometimes work and sometimes don't and we used dialup for internet.
Years have passed and times have changed and I guess the cable company finally figured out that the only way the cable would come up this mountain is if they ran it. We are the second customers to get it on the hill....no tv, just internet. Actually, the only reason we did it is so that the boys can get through on the phone. My neighbors, on the other hand are a different story. It's going to be interesting to see how long they hold out.
It is nice to have and I may finally be able to get out and visit other peoples sites now without it taking three hours to get anywhere. It's an interesting thing, this technology! It'll be interesting to see the changes that come from this.
God bless!
A Mom in America 3月31日 Changes....Coming to this site today, you may notice a few changes...such as the ability to comment. There is a reason for that. Yes, I've been getting a lot of troll hits of late, primarily because I haven't been around to keep a watch on thing. I haven't been here primarily because I've been elsewhere as mentioned in the post before this. One of the biggest problems that I have had since starting this site is that, for military people and their families this is, in my opinion, about the least secure form of communication there is. Bottom line is that anybody, anywhere with a pc can read whatever is written here. There is no security on msn.
Because of the position my family is in right now, I am making the choice to move on from here to a more secure mode of communication with friends and other military and their families. It's a choice thing that I am making based on the things in my life that I am facing and the things that I can do, in my daily walk, to help where I can. This doesn't mean that I intend to stop posting here. I will probably continue to do so if I see a place where help is needed or a site I feel is worthy. I may just post about what I feel like writing about today if I'm up for it. I'll have to wait and see about that one.
The other change that you will notice is that most, if not all of my links are gone. I'm doing that for a reason. There are those who come here to link into others so that they can go kick at a soldier or his/her family or a Vet today because that's their idea of fun. These people don't need that kind of fun and, as of today, I'm no longer going to be a link in the chain that takes you to them. What these soldiers and their families are going through and have been through is hard enough without having to deal with the refuse of humanity who troll around anonymously for the sole purpose of being preditory on people who, quite frankly, do not have the time to be bothered with their garbage. So, to all of you trolls out there, you won't find what you are looking for here anymore. There is no spotlight for you here and there are no links. Go find somewhere else to be the slimey little larva that you are.
That being said, my garden awaits.
God bless!
A Mom in America
3月29日 Attn: Marine Parents, Spouses, Family and Girlfriends!!!Seems like MSN is yet again doing the ole catastrophic update thingie in my neck of the woods of late. Either that or it's the work being done on the lines to get the cable up the mountain here. Difficult to get on and even more difficult to post so in the meantime I have been checking out other stuff. The Vet came across an incredible site yesterday, that we were unaware of. It's called Marine Parents. com and has some really great support and features going on. One of the things we found there is called Moto Mail. It's similar to the Mars mail we used back in the stone age in the Army. Moto Mail is a secure system that you can use to send a hard copy letter within about 48 hours to your Marine. You type your letter like an email, it is sent overseas and then printed out and delivered to your Marine. I believe this is only available for the Marines and possibly Navy at present, but for those of you who can use it, it's a great service and free! Those first few boxes and letters seem to take forever to get through sometimes...like now for us, and this can be a real blessing during those first few weeks of deployment.
Also Marine Parents is looking like a wonderful place for parents and families to get to know each other and share support in. There is a ton of stuff that you can get involved in over there, or not, as you chose, but most of all, it's a place that you can get with others who are going through what you are as the parent, spouse, girlfriend or family member of a Marine. It's not a political site. It's a support site by and for parents and families of Marines and is moderated! (God bless the volunteers who take care of that!!!) If you've got a Marine, CHECK THIS SITE OUT!!! It's absolutely worth the visit and a fantastic resource for Marine families!!! God bless A Mom in America 2月26日 Computers...Is it me or what? I was just over at Job Bank, where I have been writing resume's for like the past two days and what happens? I get ready, after making mutiple revisions mind you, to print my last resume. I click print. What happens? I get the white page of doom. Immediately I hit "back" and, thankfully, still have the revisions. I repeat the process. White page of doom again...and again...and again. Resigned to the fact that I will have to loose the latest revisions, I click out and try to click sign back into the site. What happens? Worse than the white page of doom is the friendly little message..."Thank you for visiting us but we are temporarily down due to... you guessed it... "system upgrade."
Why is it these companies are constantly doing this? If it were just msn, I could handle it. It's not though. Every time I turn around, whatever site I am on is "upgrading" it's "system." Hasn't anyone on this planet every heard of sticking with things that work? I mean if you have a system and it works, why change it? Especially to something that doesn't? Does this make sense to anyone else on the planet?
So it's Sunday and I guess I'm just going to have to deal with the fact that I won't be able to mail my resume's until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest... Yada yada yada... Gotta love computers... Maybe God's just trying to tell me to take the day off. Wouldn't that be something!
God bless!
A Mom in America 2月12日 Is there really a problem at my blogspot site?71 and a Wakeup until VET MARCH 2006
America, where are you going to be on April 25, 2006?
Dear Readers,
I am not seeing the problem that Devildog referred to in my comments section on my blogspot site that this post is in reference to. If you would be so kind as to go over to my new site on blogspot and let me know if the sidebar is messed up, I would really appreciate it. Spaces people can comment about it here. Thanks!
God bless!
A Mom in America 2月8日 Amazed...75 and a Wakeup until VET MARCH 2006
America, where are you going to be on April 25, 2006? As I went over to Fred's today to tell him about the update on Eddie, I had to laugh a little because I was reminded of a discussion we had a while back about the internet and facts. It kind of cracked me up because I knew that the internet is something so far beyond "facts" and what we have just seen with the Ryans is a small sample of that.
Over the months that I've known him, I've seen Fred get a lot of grief from people accusing him of lying about his service and such. "A soldier would never write or do the things you do!" kind of stuff. Anyone who has served knows better. Soldier's politics are as varied as they are in America. The thing is, as soldiers, they rise beyond the issues and follow the oath they have taken as well as orders they may or may not agree with. That's what soldiers do because they know that everyone in their unit is depending on them to do just that. I recognized Fred early on as the soldier he is because when I have addressed him on military issues, he went right into "soldier mode" quick, fast and in a hurry. He may not have had the answers I was seeking, but, the manner in which he responded, his stopping, addressing and responding the way that he always has was so "code of the soldier" that I know he is serving.
When it came to my attention that Eddie's family needed this assist, I came out there and let all of you know about it. What you may not realize is that I got with Fred too. All I had to say was "Eddie needs a hand." Conservatives can Cringe all they want, he predictably went into "soldier mode" and was right there on it too. THAT, my friends, is the power of the internet. Our ability to step beyond the little social/political worlds we dwell in, recognize a truth...a reality that needs fixing, pull together and create the change. We walked outside of the definitions on this one, Gang, and something really good is happening because of it.
I am incredibly amazed at this. There is such a power here that goes so far beyond definiton and restriction, I can't even begin to understand it. It does exist and there is truth in it that people can recognize. You and I are a part of that. For me, at least, this has taken "blogging" into an entirely new realm. I'm stepping beyond "Think first, then write." to "Think first, then write words that will create." Do I want to create and perpetuate anger in a world that is already angry enough? Do I want to sting and hurt people into the action I desire or do I want to present what I see as being good and true in a world where those two things seem to diminish by the second?
Incredible responsibility that I hope we all can live up to.
God bless!
A Mom in America
2月7日 Tuesday...76 and a Wakeup until VET MARCH 2006
America, where are you going to be on April 25, 2006? Goodmorning out there! I generally love morning. Best time for blogging as nobody is up and running yet. The house is quiet for the same reason and I actually have time to think and am generally cheery...until I read the news. Some morning, I'd love to wake up and see the headlines reading "Hey, Everythings Great Today! Have a Nice Day!" Guess that's what heaven's about.
Oh well, after reading today's headlines, I find that it's America's fault that the Danish had the outright disrespect to publish the 12 cartoons. All of the extremists still want to blow us up. They still haven't figured out who burned the churches in Alabama. Hit is becoming a hot spot again. Four more Marines are dead, 7 wounded. Then there's Iran Isreal and...well let's just face it, the entire Middle East. Somehow I feel like I must have dined last night at Millieways because it sure feels like the universe is ending today.
And life goes on...
So today, I'm looking at these blogs and still wondering what to do. I like having my space back, but it seems that my readership kind of evaporated away when I had the difficulties. What little I still maintain seems to be split between the two sites now. MSN has all of the fun new tools, however, I'm thinking that maybe I need more reliability and information than what msn is prepared to give. So maybe developing the blogger site and mirroring over on msn is the right thing to do. Stat's will tell on that one.
Other "blogly decisions"... My "kids" list has gotten very short at this point. Initially, I hooked up with the kids because I loved their blogs and I felt that perhaps lending my support in that way would be at least something I could do. Most have come home now and are getting back into their own worlds... which is as it should be. It leaves me with the dilema, though, of whether to go out and adopt more "kids", continuing this mode of support as my own sons enter into combat situations. To be honest, I don't know that I can do that at this time, which is why none have been added. I'm trying to keep my options open for my own before I adopt any others.
The other issue that factors into this list is that after spending the time I have with the Heroes that I have, I've often wondered about how they feel about my imposing my well wishes on them. The reasons these soldiers have blogged have been as varied as the soldiers themselves. For some, it was a pass time. Others were into "the debate." For other's, it was more a private chunk of nothing where they could think aloud or record what was happening to them. They didn't need me to be there, they just needed to write. I wonder whether what I was doing was interfering with their one opportunity to regain sanity when they were surrounded by chaos... the one thing I did not want to do at all. This gives me yet another reason to look beyond what I have done and into a future where maybe I'm doing something else with this place.
In looking at this blog, I wonder if maybe it isn't time for me to change the emphasis of what I'm doing. Maybe it's time to support the "kids" in other ways that are more direct...ensuring legislation on their behalf, doing things that are more concrete for the wounded. There are many options available, it's just a matter of going through them and finding what fits me and my circumstances.
In any event, the sun is now up and the day is begun. Time to move along with it.
And four more churches were burning last night in Alabama. Maybe I should head back to Millieways...
God bless!
A Mom in America 2月2日 Testing....Testing... This is a test to see if I do, in fact, have control of my blog again. It appears, Houston, that we have a lift off! Guess it's time to go swimming again, gang!
God bless!
A Mom in America 1月13日 Stillness...You know, as I take time to look at this site and evaluate what is happening here, I'm looking at the lists and wondering what I'm going to be doing here soon. My Kids list keeps getting shorter and shorter as they are coming home. At face value, the rational thing to do is go out and find more kids. Replace those who are now Heroes. As I contemplate this, I realize that rational isn't always right. I've made some wonderful friends in these kids and for me, it has helped fill the gap as my own sons have been in training. The thing is, I'm not in the same place that I was when I began this blog. My own sons are going over now and I wonder if I have the ability to be there for everybody else, or if maybe this is a time where I need to pull in a little here. It's a tough decision to make and one that I'm giving a lot of thought to.....
And then I see Martin and know the winds that are calling to him now. Once you have been touched by the experience of serving other people, nothing seems quite so meaningful. Nothing makes you feel like you have made a difference. Pulled between the comfort of "regular life" and being right there and doing something... it's hard to decide where your life will mean the most and even whether or not you want it too. In the still times you contemplate this and wonder where those you really love would have you, what they would have you do. You wonder where God would have you. You try to move on, but you can't because you know in your gut that there is still a job left undone and that there are those who need your help to do it.... and you wait until you can maybe see a clearer picture of what it is you need to do about it all.
Thanks Martin. It helps.
God bless!
A Mom in America 1月11日 Is it me?Is it me or is the internet in general and msn in particular moving really, r e a l l y, r e a l l y s l o w? Government conspiracy aside, something is happening as this seems to be popping up on blogs all over the country...at least with all of us "spacers". I haven't seen anything in the news and am just wondering if anyone out there knows what's up. MSN did run a blurb on Roswell yesterday on the msn page...don't know whether it's still there or not and I'm not about to wait 10 minutes for the page to decided to load. Maybe the aliens got out! It could also be the Y2k bug has invaded the phone lines and only dialup customers are being affected. I don't know, but if anyone else out there does, please enlighten the rest of us!
God bless!
A Mom in America 12月23日 HEY!HEY!!! If you haven't clicked in to sign your message of support for our troops who are not spending Christmas with their families, or playing in the snow, or going to the malls shopping or enjoying any of the freedoms we are because they are overseas, may I remind you that we are one day and a wake-up from Christmas. They need to know you are standing up for them!!!! It's the little box at the top of the page here.
God bless and Merry Christmas!
A Mom in America 11月20日 Tee Hee!Hollie saw it too, from other sources..... This is a good thing! This is a very good thing!!!!!
God bless!
A Mom in America 11月18日 StuffWell, there are some very major things going on here today! Where to begin!?! Let's see, Future Diplomat has checked in and is now quite busy dusting.... like everything in the house and washing .... like every article of clothing she owns and I'm not sure, but I think she may have hit the hot tub for a serious decompression by now.
Other exciting news is that ...
Our Tami is THE Featured Space for this week!!!!!!
Not that I'm bursting at the seams with pride or anything, but I am so proud of her, I can't even begin to tell you! I am positive she would appreciate a visit and an encouraging word from you as it's a tough week ahead for her but she is doing great! Please KIDS take the time to visit AND UNSUNG HERO'S, let her know that you're standing with her in this! HERO's, you to! So, in case you don't have her linked...
Get over there!
Other big news.... the Holiday season is starting and the rotating door at my house is about to go into full swirl! That's right!!!!!! MY BOYS ARE COMING HOME!!!! I try to make a policy of not talking about them much because they are serving, but this may be the last Christmas we have together for a very long time and my schedule may get a little erratic, to say the least! Yes, starting tomorrow, I am actually going to start doing some housework and maybe even throw up a decoration or two! I know, the Vet is in shock too, however, I want the house to look nice and as Martha Stewart would say "create an atmosphere for memories to flourish in!" (It makes me nautious too, but I can at least attempt!) So, while I will try to hit everyone and keep track of all of you, I may not be posting as regularly till January. I think you'll all understand and I appreciate your patience!
God bless!
A Mom in America
11月16日 It's UP!!!First things first..... HEY DIANE, IT'S UP!!! So, that being said, onto the story of this song.... This song was written by a friend of mine while she was going through a very difficult time, and I was too. She wrote it while Tom was in Iraq. Both Diane and I cried a lot of tears during that time, each in our own pain, but we were carried through it by a loving God and a church that stood beside us through all of it! We both grew a lot that year and learned a lot, but it wasn't easy. Toward the end of Tom's deployment, Diane sang this song in church and every time I hear this song, I see her up there with her guitar, all by herself, and hear the beauty in what came out of that time for both of us.
I wanted to give this to all of you for a lot of different reasons, but mainly because these are not easy times, for anyone. You kids are all over the place and it isn't fun or easy where you are. Families, it's scarey and hard and the time can't pass fast enough. Friends, you see it all and stand by not knowing what the right thing to say or do is. And it hurts. It really does. The thing is, God does bring you through it and there is a light at the end.
I've got to hit the hay now. It is going to take a while to load, but I hope you enjoy this song. Go watch the photo album or even better, hit each other's sites while it loads! And know that it's sent with a lot of love and prayer for all of you!
God bless!
A Mom in America
Oh and PS.... Danno won on this one gang, so everyone go hit him too!!!
Goodnight!
MIA 11月15日 Correction...That was a WMA file, gang, not MVA..... I hate computers!
Goodnight all and God bless!
A Mom in America Problem...Okay, I seem to have found the glitch in this media thingie.... Does anyone out there know of a free encoder that will turn MVA files into MP3 OR know of a free web host that takes MVA files? This seems to be the glitch in this thing. If you can't store your files online then the media thingie can't link to it and thus you have an empty media player. My computer only stores sound stuff as MVA stuff...which the media player will take but I can't find a host for.... So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated because this thing is really starting to make me mad....and that's not a good thing.
God bless!
A Mom in America ?Okay, does anybody out there have any clue where I can upload the song to and link it to the player? I've tried Walagata and it's not working.
A Mom in America ?Does anyone out there see a media player?
MIA Phase One....HA! Phase One complete!!! Diane got back to me!! I can use her song! This music is what these mountains are made of for me! You're gonna love it!!!! ..... when I can figure out how to do this..... Get ready for "catastrophic errors!"
God bless!
A Mom in America
PS
Hey Dan, I'm one step closer!!! Tee Hee!
MIA Okay...Okay, I'm really gonna do this now..... Really! I am...... Had a soldier who needed to chat there for a while.... Kids come first.... but really, I'm going to do this NOW!
Yeah....
God bless!
Mom in America |
|
|
