In case you hadn't heard...

The Iraqi's held nationwide provincial elections today (background HERE, HT: Mudville's Dawn Patrol). The relatively violence-free process is a credit to them and to the Coalition troops who helped the Iraqi's turn their country around over the last 2 and half years.

Check out the stories and pictures HERE (MNF-I) and HERE (FOX) and HERE (CNN) and HERE (FOX photo essay) and HERE (a painter/blogger in Iraq, HT: again to Mudville's Dawn Patrol).

I loved this comment on the painter's blog: "I think it's impressive for Iraq that they're biggest problems for the provincial elections is there's too many damn candidates."

There are challenges ahead for Iraq's fledgling democratic processes, but they are a very different tenor of challenges than those of 1998 or 2006.

Thank a vet!

Updated: Could you be one of 757 new Angels? ** UPDATE: It's DOWN to 462, but still need your help!

462 troops waiting (down from 767) for a little extra TLC for the length of their deployment.

The waiting list went up to over 1000! and is now back down, but we could still use your help.

Wanna be an Angel? Go here

Happy New Year! ... a lot late.

It's been a busy month, and blogging seems to have fallen off my list of things to do.

On the Angel front, I have two adopted soldiers headed home (one from Iraq and one from Afghanistan), while another has a couple months of her 15 month tour left to go. I added a new one (a Sailor) in late December who is in chilly Afghanistan. I've already sent him some oatmeal-reese's cup cookies (yes, that's what you end up with when you decide to use up some candy - trick is to get the cookies in the mail before I eat any!).

I also spent time in early December sending a bunch of boxes to a Combat Support Hospital in Afg. My friends and I "adopted" one among many in theater. Angel dude Roger collects contact info and finds volunteers to send holiday party stuff. We sent lights, garland, santa hats, fiery hot cheetos with lime, oreos, oatmeal cremes, hot cocoa, mocha mix, chai mix, tea, corn chips, velveeta and chili to make a hot dip, marshmellows, party plates and cups. Oh, and a bunch of small gifts for a white elephant gift exchange. I heard back from my contact at the CSH, and she said that they enjoyed the loot. Nothing gives me warm fuzzies like knowing that we've brightened the day of one of our deployed troops.

The new year is bound to be interesting. DC is humming with pre-Inauguration acitivity - it was a nippy 20 F today, so everyone seemed to be inside at the mall - can't blame them. It's supposed to be back in the 30s tomorrow. As always, saying a prayer for joy and progress. The amazing feat of this veteran, Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III, a former fighter pilot with the US Air Force, seems a great way to kick off the new year.

And because it looked fun, I snagged the list below from Miss Ladybug. I don't know whether it's lists that appeal or the ability to go "ha! I've done that" (highlighted items), but I enjoy stuff like this...

99 things on the wall:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars (in a tent but I'm told that doesn't really count)
3. Played in a band (nope, I'm definitely a member of the audience)
4. Visited Hawaii (August 1985, and got the worst sunburn of my entire life)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/World (Land '73 (I don't remember!), World '81)
8. Climbed a mountain (little ones)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped (only if my life depended on it)
12. Visited Paris (25th birthday)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (three times)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (as a kid only)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train (Victoria, BC to Thunder Bay Ontario, 1982; Atlanta to Charlottesville 1999, Atlanta to DC 2001)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (I've watched a few!)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (best: sunrise from the north rim of the Grand Canyon, 2001)
31. Hit a home run (softball)
32. Been on a cruise (not exactly)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person (went on the "under the falls tour, too!)
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (generally only - Finland)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (no complaints)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (not even on one of those fake walls)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person (was there in January 1985 - had snowed in Rome for the first time in years so very few tourists; it hadn't been cleaned yet, but we got to linger for 15 or 20 minutes)
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud (rain, yes; mud, no)
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter (this one I'd really like to do)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial (over and over again!)
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square (and paid too much for lunch at TGIF)
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (from the north and south rim - the former is worth the drive)
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car (2 times)
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (Sewickley Herald)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (Old Executive Office Building is as close as I've gotten)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (my favorite so far: chatted with Michael Barone in an elevator)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Best wishes and prayers for a wonderful 2009!

Not for Nothing, Take 9

In case you missed it, people are partying in Iraq. HT: Gateway Pundit

Oh yeah, and our guys and gals are AMAZING. HT: Mudville Gazette

But you knew all that, right?

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's a special day every year, probably my favorite holiday for reasons I've written about before. This year I'm especially grateful for this news from Iraq. And as always find it special to read the President's Thanksgiving Day proclamation. My church always reads it during the morning Thanksgiving Day service so it's always been a part of my Thanksgiving Day memories. Hope you are sharing this day with some special someone's or at least get to chat with them. As I got in an email from a family friend yesterday who lives overseas: "“nothing compares to home sweet home”! Free elections, the best possible medical care, religious freedoms, material wealth beyond belief even after the subprime crisis, and the list is almost endless. Talk about God’s blessings!"

I couldn't agree more.

Happy Thanksgiving

Annual Valour-IT Fundraiser - Go NAVY! *BUMPED*

It's a tough time for fundraising, but your donation - large or small - is MUCH appreciated.

********
The 4th annual blog-based fundraiser for Soldiers' Angels' Valour-IT program got underway on Veterans Day. To make it fun, there is always a *friendly* inter-service competition. The feud, I mean, fun ends on Thanksgiving Day.

I'm on the Navy team in honor of my baby sister (who of course is no longer a "baby"), an Annapolis grad and former LT in the US Navy. Yes, as I told Admiral Larson on Parents Weekend after her Plebe Summer, I'm still insufferably proud. :-) GO NAVY!

Plus, it was to her Navy friends that I sent my first, pre-Soldiers' Angels care packages.

ANYWAY, for those unfamiliar with the Valour-IT program, go HERE (make sure you scroll down to read the testimonial from LtCol X).

I've had the pleasure of watching the inspiration and the very first recipient of a Valour-IT laptop present the 1000th laptop to another recovering wounded soldier at Walter Reed Regional Medical Center. I've also had the pleasure of delivering one myself, to a marine at our National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD last December.

While many injuries create challenges that take months or years to overcome, the beauty of Valour-IT is that it offers a short cut. Hands in bandages or arm in a cast so they can't type? or maybe a permanent injury so that they'll never type again? How about a laptop with voice-activation software or an adaptive keyboard or mouse? A short cut to blogging, emailing, or IM'ing with family, buddies, or the world at large. And now, the program is expanding to offer other techie-enabled therapy or independence.

It's a worthy cause, so give as generously as you are able. Every $1 helps. Really.

Hit the "Donate" button under thermometer in the upper right corner of this blog or click HERE.

(GO NAVY!)


To be fair.... and to prompt you to donate even if your loyalties lie elsewhere....!

A Coast Guard supporter is HERE
A Marine Corps supporter is HERE
An Air Force supporter is HERE
An Army supporter is HERE

A Mechanic's Blog (ISTP)

Mudville did this, so I figured, what the heck.

My blog is a little different than me...

The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment are masters of responding to challenges that arise spontaneously. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts.

The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters.

First part is not far off, but the "enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters"...not so much. I know my limitations.

Heh.