A Small Milestone

In case I forget, tomorrow 9/30 is the 2nd Anniversary of this here blog. It is hard for me to imagine that I started this 2 years ago and about 1000 miles away from here. No way would I have thought I'd be where I am in my life now, two years ago.

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Still Kickin’

I am sure it has been very evident to any and all who happen to stop by here, but I have been quite busy with the new job and class that I have not been posting as regularly as I have in the past. I have had the urge to write so many times, but lack the time to write for any period of time. Well then…

“But I think what we have to keep shooting for and what is achievable is to give everybody the opportunity to vote in the upcoming election, to make the election fully credible, and something that will stand the test of the international community's examination." From Yahoo! News

You may think the above quote is an election official talking about making sure what happened in Florida in 2000 with thousands of people not being able to vote, will not happen again. Quite the contrary, the quote is from Secretary of State Colin Powell talking about the upcoming Iraqi elections. Thank goodness the right to vote for Iraqi’s will be secure. There will be many American men and women making sure all Iraqi’s who want to vote will be able to vote.

I hope the Iraq elections go well, but we cannot demand results in Iraq that we will not demand here in the United States. That is completely hypocritical. We must concern ourselves with securing our own electoral process. American citizens should not be shut out of voting this year.

I am not the type of person to say "America First”, but I do not think we should parade around our “democracy” when we do not have it in our own country.

Enough of that…

It is amazing...

Last night Jenn and I along with a couple friends went and saw Garden State last night. It is an excellent movie and I highly recommend it. It is one of those movies that encourages you to examine who you are. I think everyone needs to take time and do that every so often. I don't have life changing moments based upon movies, but movies can make me think, can inspire me, and can motivate me. Without giving away any of the movie, I liked that the movie emphasized the importance and brevity of this life. I also felt that this movie is one of the few I've ever seen that take a more realistic look at the generation in which I am a member. The main character is 26 years old and is going through some of the same emotions and feelings that those of us around that age are going through. Enough of the movie. Although, so far this year it ranks right up there with Napoleon Dynamite and Big Fish for best movies of the year.

Question

How is it that George W and his buddies want a democracy in Iraq, a democracy not influenced by religion, in Iraq and still want more religion and religious influence in our government? Does that sound a odd to anyone else? Seriously, we cannot tell a country which has a long history of Islam that they can no longer incorporate their religion into their government, when we are trying to more incorporate Christianity, which was not the "rock" our country was founded on, into our government?

Despite your beliefs on whether or not the US was founded as Christian nation is not the point here, the point is that we are pushing a country to do something that we ourselves are not willing to do. I don't like that.

Others

I am having problems with the pictures on the site once again. I apologize for the confusion and the utter lack of time I have to be doing this. :-)

God and Politics
Wade Hodges has made some very interesting arguments about religion (specifically the Christian religion) and Politics. I think we all need to give his post a read. Check it out at: http://www.wadehodges.com/2004/09/political-ramblings.html .

I am glad more people are talking about the hijacking of Christianity. God is not a Republican, Democrat, Green, Libertarian, etc... None of these parties has the full support of God and none is only doing God's will. We are humans, we are flawed, our organizations are flawed, and our agendas are flawed.

Labor Day Weekend Goodness

The week is finally winding down. This week, the third week at my new job. The last three weeks have been a trying time, but they have also been very rewarding. I am now feeling as if I am doing something that will help me in my career. It is about time. However, questions have arisen in my mind and my heart about where my life is going, and what I am doing.

I like my field. I like working where I am and I really like working with students. However, I still feel disconnected to where I am. I have been at the University of Arkansas for over a year, but I still feel new. It was not this way in college, at least after the 1 year mark. I feel as if I had my niche here at one time, but I lost it again.

Enjoy the long weekend (for those in the US). Watch some college football and celebrate the purpose for holiday on Monday. And please, do not believe the hype. The hype of the media, they hype of our President and the hype that your tv and radio is telling you to go out and purchase.

For those in Canada. Enjoy the fact that you are indeed Canadian and you share the same nationality as the Barenaked Ladies, Rick Moranis, and the characters from the Red Green show. And lets all hope the NHL will play this season.

And for those elsewhere, thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the weekend and enjoy life.