Okay, so I always knew that Grampa F. was in the Marines during WWII. But today, I got to see/read some real evidence of it!!! It was fascinating. He let me read some letters he'd sent to his parents, and I read a few articals from newspapers--one was written about those on his ship when they were in the Phillipines, one was written in what looked like a local paper from when they lived in Washington, when he and his brother had met on the ocean. It looked like they were just letting the community know that their friends were still reasonably alive.
It kind of bothered me to see that he'd been among those calling the Japanese "Japs," but I suppose it was WWII, that's just what they were called at the time.
Overall, it was all really very interesting.
Also, i got to see some Japanese money, along with some pesos from the Phillipines, some Japanese matches, Japanese ciggarettes (which were all shriveled), some old cigars (those were huge!), and some cats-eyes that he'd gotten on one of the islands he'd been on below the equator (he asked me to polish a few of them in my rock tumbler; i was a bit nervous about that, because it makes them a lot smaller, but i told him i'd try).
It was really, really fascinating; I got to learn about my grampa (MY grampa!) defending his country--I knew it before, but now it just seems so much more real.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Leave politics to politicians... You as military men, as soldiers, as heroes have the responsibility to protect the state so that all may live in peace whether they are in harmony or have differences."
~Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (to Iraqi troops)
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
"Broken" by Lifehouse
The broken clock is a comfort, it helps me sleep tonight
Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time
I am here still waiting though i still have my doubts
I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you
The broken locks were a warning you got inside my head
I tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book instead
I still see your reflection inside of my eyes
That are looking for a purpose, they're still looking for life
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
with a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you
I'm hangin' on another day
Just to see what you will throw my way
And I'm hanging on to the words you say
You said that I will be ok
The broken lights on the freeway left me here alone
I may have lost my way now, haven't forgotten my way home
Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time
I am here still waiting though i still have my doubts
I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you
The broken locks were a warning you got inside my head
I tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book instead
I still see your reflection inside of my eyes
That are looking for a purpose, they're still looking for life
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
with a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you
I'm hangin' on another day
Just to see what you will throw my way
And I'm hanging on to the words you say
You said that I will be ok
The broken lights on the freeway left me here alone
I may have lost my way now, haven't forgotten my way home
Name Origins and Meanings
i got bored and decided to look up what various names meant. :) if you want to find what a name means and i don't have it, look here-- www.name-meanings.com
here's what i got (these are names of people actual people, some famous, some fictional, some i actually know. there are only first and middle names.)
BRIANNA LYNNE
Brianna = Strong One. Celtic/Gaelic.
Lynne = Beautiful Waterfall. English.
BILLIE JO
Billie = Defender of Justice. German.
Jo = ??? Hebrew.
RACHEL ANNA
Rachel = Innocent Lamb. Hebrew.
Anna = Gracious. Hebrew.
TRICIA KAY
Tricia = Noble Woman. Latin.
Kay = ??? ???
KATE
Kate = Pure, Virginal. German.
EMILY
Emily = Admiring. Latin.
AMY LEE
Amy = Beloved. Latin.
Lee = Sheltered from the Storm. English.
CLAUDE
Claude = Lame (haahaa, poor guy). Latin.
COLTON
Colton = Coal Town (no, that's not a joke, that's what it really means). English.
SANDRA ANNE
Sandra = Helper of Humanity. Greek.
Anne = Gracious. Hebrew.
MICHAEL PAUL
Michael = Who Is Like God? (yes, the question mark is part of the meaning). Hebrew.
Paul = Small. Latin.
FRANCIS MAYBEL
Francis = Free. Latin.
Maybel = ??? ???
MYRON
Myron = Fragrant Balm (haa, that's the name of a grumpy old man!). Greek.
GERARD ARTHUR
Gerard = Brave. French.
Arthur = Follower of Thor. No Known Origin.
OSCAR
Oscar = Accurate Spearsman. Scandinavian.
MARTIN LUTHER
Martin = Warlike. Latin.
Luther = Famous Warrior. German.
BRADLEY ROLAND
Bradley = Meadow. English.
Roland = Famed Throughout the Land. German.
SKYLAR LEVI
Skylar = Learned One. Scandinavian.
Levi = United, As One. Hebrew.
EDWARD
Edward = Wealthy Gaurdian. (ironic.) English.
ISABELLA
Isabella = Concecrated to God. Italian.
BELLA
Bella = Beautiful. Latin.
ALICE
Alice = Truth, Noble. Greek.
JASPER
Jasper = Semi-Precious Stone. English.
ROSALIE
Rosalie = From Rose and Lee. English.
EMMETT
Emmett = Strong Worker.
CARLISLE
Carlisle = City of Lugovalos. Scottish.
ESME
Esme = Emerald. Greek.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet.
~ Shakespear, "Romeo and Juliet," Juliet
here's what i got (these are names of people actual people, some famous, some fictional, some i actually know. there are only first and middle names.)
BRIANNA LYNNE
Brianna = Strong One. Celtic/Gaelic.
Lynne = Beautiful Waterfall. English.
BILLIE JO
Billie = Defender of Justice. German.
Jo = ??? Hebrew.
RACHEL ANNA
Rachel = Innocent Lamb. Hebrew.
Anna = Gracious. Hebrew.
TRICIA KAY
Tricia = Noble Woman. Latin.
Kay = ??? ???
KATE
Kate = Pure, Virginal. German.
EMILY
Emily = Admiring. Latin.
AMY LEE
Amy = Beloved. Latin.
Lee = Sheltered from the Storm. English.
CLAUDE
Claude = Lame (haahaa, poor guy). Latin.
COLTON
Colton = Coal Town (no, that's not a joke, that's what it really means). English.
SANDRA ANNE
Sandra = Helper of Humanity. Greek.
Anne = Gracious. Hebrew.
MICHAEL PAUL
Michael = Who Is Like God? (yes, the question mark is part of the meaning). Hebrew.
Paul = Small. Latin.
FRANCIS MAYBEL
Francis = Free. Latin.
Maybel = ??? ???
MYRON
Myron = Fragrant Balm (haa, that's the name of a grumpy old man!). Greek.
GERARD ARTHUR
Gerard = Brave. French.
Arthur = Follower of Thor. No Known Origin.
OSCAR
Oscar = Accurate Spearsman. Scandinavian.
MARTIN LUTHER
Martin = Warlike. Latin.
Luther = Famous Warrior. German.
BRADLEY ROLAND
Bradley = Meadow. English.
Roland = Famed Throughout the Land. German.
SKYLAR LEVI
Skylar = Learned One. Scandinavian.
Levi = United, As One. Hebrew.
EDWARD
Edward = Wealthy Gaurdian. (ironic.) English.
ISABELLA
Isabella = Concecrated to God. Italian.
BELLA
Bella = Beautiful. Latin.
ALICE
Alice = Truth, Noble. Greek.
JASPER
Jasper = Semi-Precious Stone. English.
ROSALIE
Rosalie = From Rose and Lee. English.
EMMETT
Emmett = Strong Worker.
CARLISLE
Carlisle = City of Lugovalos. Scottish.
ESME
Esme = Emerald. Greek.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet.
~ Shakespear, "Romeo and Juliet," Juliet
The Legend of Mercy Brown--New Englands Last Vampire
I was looking on information about vampires for my book, and I ran across the legend of Mercy Brown, one of the most popular North American vampires. I found it fascinating, and thought I'd type it up here.
Mercy Brown was a daughter of George and Mary Brown in the late 1800s. I suppose the story starts when Mary Brown died of consumption, now called tuberculosis, in 1888. She was followed closely into the after-life by her's and George's oldest child, Mary Olive.
Then, in 1891, Mercy, at the young age of nineteen, died of consumption as well, leaving George and the youngest child, Edwin (whom was also ill with the same disease), behind.
Friends and neighbors of the family, being superstitious, believed that one of the family members was a vampire, which was why all George's family were dying. Two months after Mercy's death, George was finally convinced that digging up the dead family members and burning what remained was the only way to make Edwin well again.
So Mary, Mary Olive, and Mercy were all dug from their graves. Mary and Mary Olive were, of course, thouroughly decomposed; Mercy, however, still had blood in her heart and was not decomposed at all. Her heart was removed and burned, and the other two women's remains were also burned as a precaution.
Despite their efforts, Edwin died about two months later.
Of course, there is a rational explaination as to why Mercy was not decomposed at all, while Mary Olive and their mother were--Mercy had been buried in cold weather, and the ground was frozen around her, preventing any significant decomposition.
So, was Mercy Brown really a vampire, or simply an object of the superstitions of the nineteenth centure? You decide...
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Throughout the vast shadowey world of ghosts and demons there is no figure so terrible, no figure so dreaded and abhorred, yet dight with such fearful fascination, as the vampire, who is himself neither ghost nor demon, but who partakes in the dark natures and possesses the terrable qualities of both.
~Montague Summers
Mercy Brown was a daughter of George and Mary Brown in the late 1800s. I suppose the story starts when Mary Brown died of consumption, now called tuberculosis, in 1888. She was followed closely into the after-life by her's and George's oldest child, Mary Olive.
Then, in 1891, Mercy, at the young age of nineteen, died of consumption as well, leaving George and the youngest child, Edwin (whom was also ill with the same disease), behind.
Friends and neighbors of the family, being superstitious, believed that one of the family members was a vampire, which was why all George's family were dying. Two months after Mercy's death, George was finally convinced that digging up the dead family members and burning what remained was the only way to make Edwin well again.
So Mary, Mary Olive, and Mercy were all dug from their graves. Mary and Mary Olive were, of course, thouroughly decomposed; Mercy, however, still had blood in her heart and was not decomposed at all. Her heart was removed and burned, and the other two women's remains were also burned as a precaution.
Despite their efforts, Edwin died about two months later.
Of course, there is a rational explaination as to why Mercy was not decomposed at all, while Mary Olive and their mother were--Mercy had been buried in cold weather, and the ground was frozen around her, preventing any significant decomposition.
So, was Mercy Brown really a vampire, or simply an object of the superstitions of the nineteenth centure? You decide...
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Throughout the vast shadowey world of ghosts and demons there is no figure so terrible, no figure so dreaded and abhorred, yet dight with such fearful fascination, as the vampire, who is himself neither ghost nor demon, but who partakes in the dark natures and possesses the terrable qualities of both.
~Montague Summers
...
Mom asked me a question a few days ago, and it's been bothering me; "Where do you see yourself as an adult?"
To tell the truth, I'm afraid to be honest.
I really don't see myself living anywhere. Maybe a van, just making what money i can in Seattle, or LA maybe, selling stories to papers and magazines, most likely.
I don't want to be tied down in one place, at least not at first.
Someday, i do want a family, a home--maybe even with kids (probably adopted). But i want to find the right person to start that with before i do.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Not all who wander are lost.
~J.R.R. Tolkien
To tell the truth, I'm afraid to be honest.
I really don't see myself living anywhere. Maybe a van, just making what money i can in Seattle, or LA maybe, selling stories to papers and magazines, most likely.
I don't want to be tied down in one place, at least not at first.
Someday, i do want a family, a home--maybe even with kids (probably adopted). But i want to find the right person to start that with before i do.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Not all who wander are lost.
~J.R.R. Tolkien
Monday, December 8, 2008
Nail Polish
i hate nail polish.
i mean, i actually love nail polish, but it's kind of a love-hate relationship, you know? like i hate having nothing on my fingernails, cuz they're gross, but i hate having to keep up the nail polish. and then, i'm a busy woman, i don't have time to sit and wait for the nail polish to dry, so i'll paint my nails and then i'll go to go do something and it won't be completely dry yet, because i'm immensly impatient when it comes to stuff like that. AAAACK!!!! i can't stand iitttttt!!!!!! eek!
i also hate bells that tell me i have to go to class. uch.
xoxo,
Brii333
i mean, i actually love nail polish, but it's kind of a love-hate relationship, you know? like i hate having nothing on my fingernails, cuz they're gross, but i hate having to keep up the nail polish. and then, i'm a busy woman, i don't have time to sit and wait for the nail polish to dry, so i'll paint my nails and then i'll go to go do something and it won't be completely dry yet, because i'm immensly impatient when it comes to stuff like that. AAAACK!!!! i can't stand iitttttt!!!!!! eek!
i also hate bells that tell me i have to go to class. uch.
xoxo,
Brii333
Thursday, December 4, 2008
I HATE SHOP CLASS!!!!!!!!
okay, i already hated that class, but the rest of this is going to be even more miserable then it already was.
we're studying Industry, and we had to go into groups of four for it, by "luck of the draw," as Mr. N put it. okay, Mr. N is cool, but i ended up with three of the fuckers who made my elementary school experience a complete and total misery: Billy, Kyle, and Garrett. okay, Garrett didn't make my life miserable in elementary school, but he sure is making me miserable now. and Billy and Kyle? those two were some of the "popular" kids that made sure i only had one friend, who is great. but i mean, to put me in a group with them is going to make life HELL for a while...
anyhoo, just wanted to complain about that while i had time. i needed to vent.
i want to go to the movies and watch Twilight again. that was such a good movie!!!! i still can't believe that some people are saying that it sucked! i think that they did an excellent job! it's one of the best book-to-movie transitions i've ever seen. i mean, yeah, the part where you see Edward all glittery turned out really cheesey, but the rest of it was excellent.
we're studying Industry, and we had to go into groups of four for it, by "luck of the draw," as Mr. N put it. okay, Mr. N is cool, but i ended up with three of the fuckers who made my elementary school experience a complete and total misery: Billy, Kyle, and Garrett. okay, Garrett didn't make my life miserable in elementary school, but he sure is making me miserable now. and Billy and Kyle? those two were some of the "popular" kids that made sure i only had one friend, who is great. but i mean, to put me in a group with them is going to make life HELL for a while...
anyhoo, just wanted to complain about that while i had time. i needed to vent.
i want to go to the movies and watch Twilight again. that was such a good movie!!!! i still can't believe that some people are saying that it sucked! i think that they did an excellent job! it's one of the best book-to-movie transitions i've ever seen. i mean, yeah, the part where you see Edward all glittery turned out really cheesey, but the rest of it was excellent.
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