Novemberland

Mark at Novemberland has a very interesting way of describing life's intimacies and creating a picture in ones mind of "his language of love"

European Women turning to Islam religion

On my way home from work I was listening to SRN (Salem Radio News) news radio and the commentator was discussing the issue “Why European women are turning to Islam religion and the men."
The European women are becoming targets for the Islamic men because they look as unlike a terrorist suspect as they sit and chat with friends appearing as indistinguishable from any other young women in the café where they sit sipping coffee.
And that is exactly why European antiterrorist authorities are watching their women citizens across the region.

The death of Muriel Degauque, a Belgian convert who blew herself up in a suicide attack on US troops in Iraq last month, has drawn fresh attention to the rising number of Islamic converts in Europe, most of them women.
"The phenomenon is booming," according to the reporter, and it worries the Christian communities. The difficulty, security experts explain, is that while the police may be alert to possible threats from young men of Middle Eastern origin, but they are more relaxed about white European women.
Terrorists are able to use converts who have added operational benefits in very tight security situations because chances are they will not attract attention.

The newsman continued to report the women who have converted where unable to find answers in the religion they were brought up in and one woman stated that Islam is a religious society of love and peace.

Since 9/11 more and more Europeans are being increasingly open about their desire to follow Islamic ways and an analyst states that these numbers say they are in the several thousands a year.
The newsman concluded with: that this the saddest of situations, this woman, Degauque,who set out on the road to inner peace became a victim of people who set out to use and abuse, thus creating her ultimate death.

My house is a very, very sad house.

His house is a very, very sad house. He and his son watched the playoffs together. It was so sad that the depressed human couldn't get out of bed Sunday morning to go to church. He hardly could eat a lunch. He didn't feel like talking and above all had the most unpleasant undercurrent in his step and mannerism.

I can understand why they were upset at the game. It seems that the Patriots played against the Broncos and couldn't get the rhythm of the game together. They were not in cadence or sync with each other. I even had a hard time watching it and with the sofa coach being a referee in the room telling them all about the bad plays; I found it difficult to listen to the random comments that permeated the space. Their team lost.

I have been in Gillette stadium watching the Pats...it was awesome and I can't wait to go again. Unfortunately in every type of competition through out the world there has to be a winner and a loser.

I understand the winning and losing and the plays and bad referees' calls but I refuse to be overly depressed about losing the championship. Yes, I know.... to all of you various sports fans -- as I was told several times this weekend “you just don't understand. You haven’t been a fan that long the two of us grew up being fans”

Maybe I don't have the depth of the disappointment that they experienced, but I do feel bad about the Patriot’s effort ... but proud they accomplished what they did to get there. I have played Fantasy Football and now am playing Fantasy Superbowl and enjoy the challenge it gives me each week to try to beat the guys I am play against.

But in the tradition of his curmudgeon personality --- what really frosted me was: after the game I had let (his) the 11 year old cat outside to romp in the cold windy weather, the cat sat at the door for over an hour meowing to be let outside and wasn’t out for more than 20 minutes to take care of his needs, when the sofa coach brought the cat back into the house…the sofa coach loudly announced to me in no certain terms: I am never to put the cat out of the house unless I have his permission--the cat could freeze to death (the cat's fur was coldish to the touch) WHAT ????

In my mind I was thinking, poor birds I wonder if they freeze to death in 35 degree weather . In response, after a salute and a huffy "yes sir", I looked at him. Despite his good looks, lean body, very smart mind and good job ---I proceeded to thank my lucky stars --- I am not married to him and that is why I am not married to him. Maybe I am wrong but I’m happy! 
Back to my safe haven in the world.

What did you say Pat ?

What did you say this time Pat?

Television evangelist Pat Robertson suggested Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine retribution for the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, which Robertson opposed.

"He was dividing God's land, and he said, 'Woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the [European Union], the United Nations or the United States of America,'" Robertson told viewers of his long-running television show, "The 700 Club."

"God says, 'This land belongs to me, and you'd better leave it alone,'" he said.

Unfortunately, Sharon clung to life in a Jerusalem hospital Thursday after surgery to treat a severe stroke.The prime minister, who withdrew Israeli settlers and troops from Gaza and parts of the West Bank last summer over heated objections from his own Likud Party, "was breathing with the aid of a ventilator after surgeons operated to stop the bleeding in his brain", his physicians said.

Robertson,founder of the Christian Coalition in 1988 failed in a bid for the Republican presidential nomination. He last stirred controversy in August, when he called for the assassination of Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez.

If you were wondering what the passage was that got Pat Robertson in deep trouble with Israel, he was referring to Joel 3:2: "I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land."

To me this whole story serves as a reminder that I am not the one to condemn people -only God knows which piece goes where in world history. Folk just keep condeming themselves.

This information can be found on the 700 Club Pat Robertson web site.

Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King day off

Our office has Martin Luther King day off in recognition of this great American.
The actions of Martin Luther King brought about significant changes in the lives of all Americans. His tireless work for racial and economic equality has inspired generations all over the world.
Can I tell you how many people in my office really know of his work or his infamous speech??
Some have no idea what he stood for, what his work meant to the nation or even how he died.

After asking a few young adults today what they could tell me about him, their responses reminded me of Art Linkletter's == "Kids say the darnest things" show.
All they know is they have the day off.They had no idea he was a Reverend, or a Baptist minister or that he won the 1964 Nobel Peace prize for just that.... promoting peace and change through understanding not violence.

That he was the main leader of the civil rights movement in the United States during the 1950's and 1960's. That he had a magnificent and eloquent speaking ability which enabled him to express the concerns of the African American sector for social justice. King's movement earned the support of millions of people—blacks and whites together.

These young people have no idea the magnitude of his peaceful demonstations and what they meant.
They have no idea how his death affected many when he was violently gunned down when all he believed in was peace for all people.

The young folks asked how I knew this "stuff" about King? My answer was --I can thank a good teacher; I didn't miss that day in history class.

Just ask the young adults in my office about this stuff and its just a day off with pay!

Walking for fun

I joined a monthly marathon blogroll which makes us accountable for walking 26.2 miles each month. This sounds easy but it is difficult in my busy daily and evening schedule to actually get out and walk a mile or two a day.
However, my best time has been walking with the gals at work. We walk for 40 minutes each work day of the week. We have had a good time getting to know each other out of the work world and see that we all can laugh at our mistakes, ourselves and each other without offense.
This committment has made me feel better and more motivated than going it alone. Its actually fun !!!!

The truth is rarely pure, and never simple." Oscar Wilde 1854-1900

My heart goes out to the West Virginia folks that suffered the recent tragedy. You are in my prayers and thoughts as you endear a very difficult time ahead. As you lay your husbands, brothers, sons and fathers to rest... the nation's heart goes out to you. We will support you and hold you up during this ordeal. Americans historically have always responded to tragic events. And they will again.

I found out about it when I turned on the car radio at 5:30 this morning and heard a lady absolutely screaming that she was going to sue the company. Perhaps she was in shock but she kept repeating those words. But what got me was the person talking to her was egging her on. Who did she blame.. what caused this? Was it an accident? Who did she lose. My gosh -- this was a time to leave the surviving family members alone to assimilate the tragedy. I felt like going through the radio my self and shaking the person and telling him... Leave her alone !!! she can't think right now...her husband is down there... Leave her alone with her grief.
Perhaps the interviewer got what he wanted because she was in shock but she resorted to saying over and over again, "they will pay :they will pay : they will pay: I will sue.them they will pay !" How disheartening ! discouraging.. when a person needs compassion the most the press won't give in an inch. Leave them alone! and leave everyone alone you hound.

On a personal note my mind went back when I was dealt a loss by losing a beloved family member through an accident, but forgiveness is all I could live with in the end. All that was left after the shock, denial, grief, and recovery were the memories. I want to tell you it is hard but you will be alright and hold on to your faith...above all, hold on to your faith.
Please accept my prayers in your time of grief and I pray for peace in your recovery. Keep the memories alive.!

I got tagged

Getting tagged means writing 5 idiosyncracies or weird things about yourself. It is hard to choose which ones.

1. I am a "goody twoshoes" as my twin sister puts it. I am no fun. Therefore, I am not a person you want to be around to have a good time. (Whatever that means to an individual who likes to party all of the time). I like clean fun of course, so I guess that would be a no win situation for those in the bar scene etc.

2. I have a closet load of clothes,-- some I can wear, some I am losing weight to wear and some stuff I will never wear. In essence, the situation is more descriptive of a hoarder. I have clothes from 30 years ago. I remember going to Miami Beach in 1975 (approx) and buying an outfit in Saks 5th Avenue... I still have it and wear it. I have kept teeshirts and tops of places I have visited-- unfortunately I don't wear all these items and end up dragging them downstairs to store and back upstairs to wear depending on the season.
I have 4 seasons of clothes as most Northeasterners do, so the closet is really cluttered as are the drawers and storage areas, unlike the south --according to my girlfriend in Florida --has only 1 season of clothes- warm. However, I am always surprised to find something I completely forgot about...its like buying a new outfit without leaving your home.

3. I am a fanatic at work. I need to keep everything in place. I have my special writing instruments in a neatly kept drawer. ( yes only special pens will do) and I hoard them too, so no one else will take them. I type all of my labels when most people hand write the category on the label-- just need my office very, very clean. My piles are neatly stacked and my drawers and file cabinets are neat as a pin I guess people might think my brain is that organized too. LOL (unlike my home office, where I live in continual frustration trying to find bills, staples: which I have looked for 2 days now and the post -its, who has the post-its? Still can't find the landscapers mower bill he sent me 2 months ago. He quit cutting the lawn the 1st of October. Wonder if he will show up again next summer?

4. I buy books, books and more books hoping to read them. Currently I have about 30 more than I can possibly read and I am reading 2 concurrently. Eventually most of those books are given to the local library. Practically most of them end up there, unread or just skimmed through. I even bought a book on the Web Pages and Blogs for Idiots. Unfortunately it has not been very helpful to me.

5. Lastly, my weirdest thing is -- I cannot let the food on the plate touch each other unless it belongs together. Macoroni and cheese is good but not beets and meat or corn and potatoes. They cannot not touch. I don't have a Sesame Street compartmentalized plate, although my family has threatened to buy me one, because I will work tediously to make sure they don't touch even if it means separate plates and bowls. Making sure the food doesn't mix with each other when I go out to the restaurants isn't very easy since the staff is reluctant to give me extra dinnerware, so I have learned to choose the food selection carefully.

This is my list... and I will tag 5 more people when I figure out how to do it.